BIBLE STUDY TEXTBOOK
STUDIES IN
FIRST CORINTHIANS
T. R. Applebury
Professor of New Testament
Pacific Christian College
Long Beach, California
College Press, Joplin, Missouri
Copyright © College Press 1963, A88342
Reprinted 1966
Reprinted 1971
Reprinted 1973
Reprinted 1977
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PREFACE
TO THE READER
These studies are the result of years of research and teaching in
the Bible college and in church classes. My object in presenting them
is to encourage the program of Bible study and to help meet the
needs of the general Bible reader,
The analysis of each chapter is both an outline and, in many cases,
a paraphrase of the Bible text. It is intended to be of help to the
general reader and also to the teacher who may be leading a study
group. The analyses and the charts will enable the reader to have a
comprehensive view of First Corinthians at a glance.
The printed text is the American Standard Version of the New
Testament. I urge you, however, to use your own Bible in these
studies. The commentary should be of help regardless of the version
you may use. Under no circumstances should comments be placed
above the Bible text in importance. In some instances there are
recognized differences of opinion; for example: (1) the question of
re-marrying in chapter seven; (2) the matter of "authority" in
chapter eleven; (3) the problems involved in the discussion of
"tongues" in chapter fourteen. In all such cases, I ask that you do
not accept my opinions. I urge you to study your own Bible and to
do your own thinking that your conclusion may be your own. Every
student should seek to learn what the Bible actually says and what
it means.
The summary of each chapter will help the student to review the
material covered in the commentary. The questions at the end of each
chapter are designed to point out the significant issues of the chapter.
For best results, the student should write out the answers to each
question. Groups may find it profitable to use the questions for dis-
cussion, Discussion, however, need not be limited to these suggestions.
These studies have been tested in church study groups. While I
was the minister of the First Church of Christ at San Fernando,
California, I prepared a brief mimeographed series of studies on
First Corinthians for our Bible study class. That material, completely
rewritten and enlarged is presented in this book. I am indebted to the
good people of that congregation for allowing me time in a busy
ministry to study. I could wish that all churches might do the same
I CORINTHIANS
for their ministers and occasionally , make, it possible for them to
return to college for refresher courses.
I am indebted to Don DeWelt, editor of the BIBLE STUDY
TEXTBOOK series, with whom I served on the faculty of the San
Jose Bible College, for his encouragement and assistance in preparing
this work for publication.
It is my prayer that you may search the Scriptures -as the Beibeans
did and meditate on the meaning of God's Word day and night that
you may translate it into life and share it with others,
Department of New Testament ! ■ ;
Pacific Christian College
July, 1963
CONTENTS
Preface , 5
Chart Outlines 9
Chapter One 13
Chapter Two 30
Chapter Three 46
Chapter Four 65
Chapter Five 82
Chapter Six 99
Chapter Seven . 116
Chapter Eight 140
Chapter Nine 154
Chapter Ten 175
Chapter Eleven 198
Chapter Twelve . 217
Chapter Thirteen 235
Chapter Fourteen 248
Chapter Fifteen 268
Chapter Sixteen 287
7
CHART OUTLINES OF FIRST CORINTHIANS
PROBLEMS
(1:1-16:24)
Reported Information
(1:10-6:20) requested
(7:1-11:34)
Division
(1-4)
Derelictions
(5-6)
Advice
given
(12:1-16:24)
Spiritual
gifts
(12-14)
Marriage Idols
(7) (8-10)
REPORTS
1:10-6:20)
Worship
(11)
Cone
Resurrection
(15)
usion
(16)
Divisions
(1:10-4:21)
Derelictions
(5:1-6:20)
Problem Rebuke Solution Conclusion Moral Litiga- Use of
(1:10-12) (1:13- (3:16- (4:14-21) discipline tion body
3:15) 4:13) (5:1-13) (6:1-11) (6:12-29)
REBUKE OF DIVISION
(1:13-3:15)
Stated
(1:13-17)
Explained
(1:18-2:16)
Justified
(3:1-15)
Questions Baptism Contrast Illus- Paul's Condition Work of
(10-13) (14-17) (18-25) tration preaching at Paul and
(26-31) (2:1-16) Corinth Apollos
(3:1-4) (5-15)
I CORINTHIANS
SOLUTION TO DIVISIONS
(3:16-4:21)
1
1
Correct View Of
. 1
The Church as
Wisdom
1
Men as
. 1
Conclusion
Temple- of God
from God servants of God
(4:14-21)
(3:16-17)
(3:18-20) (3:214:13)
DERELICTIONS
(5:1-6:20)
Moral Discipline
1 ■
Litigation
1
Use of the
(5:1-13)
(6:1-11)
Body
1. Problem (1-2) 1.
Problem: Brothers
(6:12-20)
i
2. Solution (3-5)
going to law ( 1-6 )
1. Principle:
Law of
3. Attitude (6-8) 2.
Solution: (7-11)
expediency (12-13)
4. Explanation (9-13)
a) Suffer wrong
2. Problem:
Immorality
b) Heirs of kingdom
(13-18)
c) Washed, sanctified,
3. Solution:
Body a
justified.
temple of the Holy
Spirit (19-20)
MARRIAGE
(7:1-40)
Expedient
(1-9)
Directions
(10-38)
Limitations
(39-40)
For Married
(10-24)
I
For Virgins
(25-38)
Separation
(10-11)
Unbeliever
(12-15)
Reasons
(16-24)
10
I CORINTHIANS
IDOLS
(8:1-11:1)
Principle
(8:1-13)
Illustrations
(9:1-10:13)
1
Conclusion
(10:14-11:1)
Limitation
of Liberty
1. Paul's right
2. Athlete
3. Israel
1. Flee idolatry
2. Lord's table
3. Law of expediency
PUBLIC WORSHIP
(11:2-34)
1
Use of Veil
Lord's Supper
1. Principle (2-6)
2. Reasoning (7-12)
3. Appeal to (13-15)
a) Judgment
b) Nature
4. Custom (16)
1.
2.
3,
4.
Conduct condemned (17-22)
Purpose of the Supper
(23-26)
Judgment on unworthy
manner (27-32)
Result of abuse (33-34)
TONGUES
(14:1-40)
i
1
1
Use
Argument
Interpretation
Tongues
vs.
Prophecy
1. Tongues &
a) revelation
b) knowledge
c) teaching
2. Instruments
3. Foreign lan-
guages
4. Build up church
1. Mind fruitful
2. Outsider to
know meaning,
say "amen."
3. Paul's use of
tongues
4. Appeal to
mature:
a) Law
b) presence of
God
5. Rules
11
I CORINTHIANS
LOVE: A MOST EXCELLENT WAY
(13:1-13)
Importance
Characteristics
1 1
Duration Conclusion
d-3)
(4-7)
• (8-12) (13)
1. Compared:
1. Love is
1. Contrast spirit- 1. Love
a) tongues
a) patient
ual gifts ■ abides
b) prophecy
b) kind
a) never fails 2. Follow
c) faith
2. Love is not
b) gifts pass LOVE
d) benevolence
a) jealous
away when
e) martyrdom
b) boastful
perfect comes
2. Without love
c) arrogant
2. Illustrations
a) gong & symbal
d) rude
a) child — man
b) am nothing
e) selfish
b) mirror — face to face
c) gain nothing
f) resentful
c) now — then
g) rejoicing in
d) gifts — perfect
wrong, but
in
right
3. In all things
a) bears
b) believes
c) hopes
d) endures
THE
RESURRECTION
(15:1-58)
Proofs
Problems
(1-34)
(35-58)
1. Gospel Paul preached
1. What manner of body?
2. Appearances
2. Time and manner?
3. Consequences of denying
3. Steadfastness
the resurrection
4. Christ as First Fruits
5. Baptism for the dead
12
CHAPTER ONE.
Analysis
A. Salutation and Thanksgiving (1-9).
1. Salutation (1-3).
a) Paul describes his apostleship in relation to Christ and the
will of God.
b) Sosthenes, the brother who must have been known to
the Corinthians.
c) He speaks of the church as the church of God, made up
of sanctified ones who are called saints,
d) They are associated with all who in every place call on
the name of the Lord.
e) His customary salutation is "Grace and peace."
2. Thanksgiving (4-9),
a) He reminds the readers that he thanks God for them
always.
b) This thanksgiving is based on the grace of God that had
been given them in Christ. It has enriched them in word
and knowledge.
c) The testimony of Christ had been established or con-
firmed among them with the result that they lacked no
gift.
d) In this manner, they were prepared to await the day of
Christ's coming.
e) Christ would confirm them to the end as blameless in the
day of the Lord Jesus Christ.
f) Assurance of this is given in the faithfulness of God who
called them into the fellowship of His Son, Our Lord
Jesus Christ.
B. Beginning of the discussion of the problem of division ( 10-17 ) .
1. Introducing the problem. Following the introduction, Paul
develops this topic by rebuking the sin of division. In it he
contrasts the word of the cross with the wisdom of the world.
2. Points in this paragraph.
a) His approach. — This is an exhortation in the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ for oneness of thought and of expression
of opinion.
b) Source of his information, and what they were saying.
c) Series of questions showing the folly of their actions.
d) Why he baptized only a few of the Corinthian converts:
Lest the cross of Christ be made void.
13
I CORINTHIANS
C. The word of the cross and the wisdom of the world ( 18-31 ) .
1. Why he discusses this subject. — He has just mentioned the
contrast of the word of the cross and the wisdom of the
world. This is at the bottom of the problem of division. This
phase of the topic continues through 2 : 16.
2. Points of these paragraphs.
a) The contrast explained (18-25).
( 1 ) Two views of the word of the cross (18-19) -
(2) Series of questions and answers showing God's view
of man's wisdom (20-21 ) .
(3) In contrast to the jews' interest in signs and the
Greeks' concern for wisdom, he preached Christ
crucified (22-25).
b) Appeal to their own lives to support his view of Christ
who became wisdom from God, and righteousness, and
sanctification (26-31).
Salutation and Thanks giving ( 1 -9-)
Commentary
: Text
1:1-9- Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the
will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2 unto the church of God
which is at Corinth, even them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus,
called to be saints, with all that call upon the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ in every place, their Lord and ours: 3 Grace to you and
peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God
which was given you in Christ Jesus; 5 that in everything ye were
enriched in him, in all utterance and all knowledge; 6 even as the
testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: 7 so that ye come behind
in no gift; waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ; 8 who
shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye be unreprovable in the
day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, through whom ye
were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Paul. — The life of this remarkable man will forever be an inspiration
and a challenge to the followers of Christ. For some of the facts
about his early life see Acts 22:3; 26:4-5; Gal. 1:13-14; Phil. 3:4-5.
He is first mentioned in the story of Christianity in connection
with the stoning of Stephen. He is the "young man named Saul" at
whose feet the witnesses laid down their garments (Acts 7:58). The
14
CHAPTER ONE 1:1
name Saul means asked for. Soon after he began his work as the
apostle to the Gentiles, he became known by the name Paul (Acts
13:9). It would be a mistake, however, to assume that he got this
name from his association with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus (Acts
13:7).
called apostle. — His conversion and appointment to the apostleship
are of such importance as to be recorded in three chapters of Acts
(9, 22, 26). He never forgot the terrible thing he did in the role of
persecutor nor the grace of God that made him an apostle of Christ.
He saw to it that this grace did not become an empty thing, for, in
his own words, he "labored more abundantly than all the apostles"
(I Cor. 15:10).
The word called suggests the kind of apostle he was. He was
summoned by Christ and sent as an apostle to the Gentiles. The
words "to be" do not occur in the Greek text. They are supplied by
the translators in an effort to make the thought clear. In doing so,
however, there is danger of loosing sight of the real meaning of the
expression: Paul was an apostle summoned by Jesus Christ. Others
have taken upon themselves to be apostles (II Cor. 11:13-15), but
without divine appointment they could not rightly be called apostles
of Christ. While he is an apostle of Jesus Christ, God is the agent
in his call to the apostleship, for it was "through the will of God."
the will of God, — It was necessary for Paul to establish his authority
at the outset, for he was to give the divine solution to the problems
that plagued the church at Corinth. For the defense of his apostle-
ship, see I Cor. 9-'l-3. For the defense of the apostolic gospel which
he proclaimed, see Gal. 1 : 1 1-24.
Sosthenes. — Who was this man, Sosthenes, who is called "brother"?
He must have been a person who was well known to the Corinthians,
as suggested by the prominent mention of him in the opening words
of the letter. His name does not occur again in the epistle. The fact
that he is mentioned in the salutation does not suggest that he shared
in any way in giving the inspired directives that were designed to lift
the church of Corinth out of its sorry plight. In Acts 18:12-17,
mention is made of a ruler of the synagogue by the name of Sos-
thenes. It is not possible to prove that he is the same man mentioned
in First Corinthians, but he could have been.
Paul was well aware of the strong opposition to him at Corinth.
It may be that he mentioned Sosthenes to show that he had friends
in Corinth who trusted his leadership as an apostle of Christ.
15
1:2 I CORINTHIANS
the church of God. — Paul addressed them as the church of God al-
though they were splitting into various factions and proclaiming
loyalty to various men. As God's church, they had been called into
the fellowship of His Son. The disgraceful conduct that characterized
so many of them was completely out of harmony with the thought
of the name, church of God. But they were God's church, for the
price of their redemption, the blood of Christ, had been paid for them
as well as for any other congregation. Their mission, therefore, as
the church of God, was to glorify God, not men.
The word church referred to the assembly of free citizens called
out from the masses to exercise the privileges of citizenship and free-
dom. But when Paul used the term church of God, he lifted the word
far above its ordinary meaning and put it in the realm of those who
are separated from the world of sin by the blood of Christ and called
through the gospel into the assembly of saints to enjoy the privileges
of freedom in Christ and citizenship in the heavenly kingdom.
Almost every word in this greeting strikes a blow at the sinful
practices that had crept into the church at Corinth.
sanctified. — The word means separated from sin, purified, or set
apart for the service of God. The form of the word used here suggests
that this separation had taken place in the past and that its effect had
carried over to the present. It does not imply that they could no
longer commit a sin; it does clearly imply that they were to live a life
of consecration in harmony with the fact that they had been set apart
to a pure life. This had been accomplished by the blood of Christ at
the time of their baptism. "And such were some of you: but ye were
washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of
the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our Lord" (I Cor. 6:11).
See also Heb. 9:13-14; I Pet. 1:2; II Thes. 2:13-14; Eph. 5:26-27.
What an awful violation of this principle is seen in the conduct
of the Corinthians as reported in chapters five and six!
called, saints. — The word saint is from the same root as the word
sanctify, and it is related to the root word which means pure. In the
O. T. it is applied to that which was set apart for the service of God.
That which was set apart had to be free from blemish; the term,
therefore, came to mean freedom from blemish, spot, or stain, first in
the physical, and then in the moral realm. See I Cor. 6:19-20 for the
appeal for the Corinthians to live a life of separation from sin.
call upon the name of the Lord. — The form of the expression indi-
cates that it was in their own interest that they called upon the Lord.
It was out of man's despair that he called upon God for help. How
16
CHAPTER ONE 1:2-4
strange that men who had called on God from this point of view
should now be saying, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Cehpas,"
The first reference to men who called on the name of the Lord is
given in Gen. 4:26, Evidently, men realized that their only hope of
survival was to turn away from the wickedness of Cain and turn to
God who alone could save them. In the days of Joel, the prophet, a
similar situation prevailed in the life of the nation of Israel (Joel
2:39)- Israel was facing almost certain destruction, and Joel re-
minded them that "all who call upon the name of the Lord shall
be saved." Peter quoted this prophecy on the Day of Pentecost ( Acts
2:21) and showed that there is a sense in which it applies to the
sinner whose only hope of salvation is in Christ. See Acts 4:12, An-
other example is found in Acts 22:16. Ananias had said to Saul, "Get
yourself baptized and wash away your sins because you called upon
His name." Saul, at last, had accepted the truth of Stephen's message;
he could go no further in his opposition to Christ. Consequently,
when Jesus spoke to him on the Damascus road, he said, ' What will
you have me to do, Lord?" There was no other alternative; for him,
it was "repent or perish." All Christians came to be spoken of as
those who were calling on the Name of the Lord. He was their only
hope.
This is far more than appropriating a name for themselves, or
piously saying, "Lord, Lord" (Matt. 7:21); it was the desperate cry
of the sinking sinner, "Lord, save me" (Matt. 14:30) .
theirs and ours. — This, as the American Version indicates, is a refer-
ence to the word Lord which does not occur in the Greek in this
phrase. It is possible that it may refer to place, and if so, it suggests
that calling upon the name of the Lord was not limited to any one
place; but men in every place, even where Paul was, were calling on
His name.
Grace to you and peace. — This is something more than a mere saluta-
tion. It seems to breathe a prayer for the strife-torn congregation at
Corinth: Let God's unmerited favor be with them; let His peace
abide with them.
/ thank my God always. — Knowing the conditions that existed in
Corinth, one wonders how Paul found it possible to "thank God
always concerning" them. He was thankful for God's grace that had
enriched them so that they lacked no necessary instruction to enable
them to prepare for the "revelation oi our Lord Jesus Christ." There
was a solution for the problem of the Corinthian church. Note the
reference to God's grace.
17
1:4-8 I CORINTHIANS
the grace of God which was given to you. — This is a reference to the
unmerited favor of God that had supplied the Corinthians with the
miraculous power (see chapters 12 through 14) through which
divine instruction in righteousness had been given them. These mirac-
ulous gifts were necessary: in the absence of the written Word. They,
however, abused this favor, for they quarreled over the relative value
of tongues over, other spiritual gifts.
enriched in him. — This enrichment had to do with utterance and
knowledge in connection with the confirmed testimony of Christ.
Utterance is the word or message of wisdom (I Cor. 12:8) . Knowl-
edge is the ability; to know or to understand the meaning of the
divinely revealed message. The Corinthians knew and understood
God's revealed will for them; nevertheless, they disregarded it. Conse-
quently, it was necessary for Paul to write this letter to correct the
many errors in their thinking and conduct.
testimony of Christ was confirmed. — Paul had preached to them the
message about Christ. It had been established . or confirmed by the
miracles that accompanied the preaching. See Mark 16:20; Heb.
2:3-4: : _
ye became behind in no gift.— The failures in Corinth were in no
way caused by the lack of inspired instruction or its confirmation by
miraculous demonstration. They had all the advantages of the, other
churches. Their disgraceful conduct, so unbecoming to a Christian,
was entirely their own responsibility..
revelation oj ' om Lord., Jesus Christ.— -This refers to Christ's second
coming. ,..r. ,
confirm, you unto the end.— The established message about Christ
would establish the faithful in Christ. It was adequate to direct them
in Christian character and conduct; there was no need for them to
fail to enter the rewards of the saints in heaven. Those who were
failing were doing so in spite of all that Christ was doing to present
them before the Father as irreproachable. '
unreprovable in the. day of our Lord. — No one in the Day of Judg-
ment will be able to lay anything to the charge of God's chosen ones,
the ones who choose to obey His will and remain faithful unto death
(Romans 8:33; Rev. 2:10). This is a strong reason why Christian
people should strive to live a life that glorifies God in the body (f
Cor. 6:20; Titus 2:11-12), The "day of our Lord" is the day of His 1
coming to judge the. world. The phrase "on the Lord's day" (Rev!
1:10) is not only different in form but in meaning also: it refers td
the first day of the week. i
18
CHAPTER ONE 1:9,10
fellowship, — This interesting word occurs many times in the New
Testament in a variety of forms. The root idea is partnership, associ-
ation, or participation. Those who are associated with Christ are to
share with Him in the proclamation of the Word of the Cross and in
the discharge of the other obligations of the saints of God.
Problem of Division (10-17)
Text
1:10-17. Now I beseech you, brethren, through the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same th.ng, and that there be
no divisions among you; but that ye be perfected together in the same
mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it hath been signified unto
me concerning you, my brethren, by them that are of the household
of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now this I mean,
that each one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of
Cephas; and I of Christ. 13 Is Christ divided? was Paul cruc.fied for
you? or were ye baptized into the name of Paul? 14 I thank God
that I baptized none of you, save Crispus and Gaius; 15 lest any man
should say that ye were baptized into my name. 16 And I baptized
also the household of Stephanas; besides, I know not whether I bap-
tized any other. 17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach
the gospel: not in wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should
be made void.
Commentary
through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. — This earnest appeal to
the Corinthian brethren in the name of Christ was designed to make
them think seriously of the real problem they faced in connection
with their divisions. They were Paul's brethren in Christ, even though
they were doing many things contrary to the principles of Christian-
ity. Accepting this basis of agreement meant that they could move on
to the divine solution of their problems. Each word in the divine
name has significance in relation to the problem in Corinth. Lord
implies servants who are to obey; Jesus implies that sinners are to be
saved by His grace; Christ, which means prophet, priest, and king,
implies the necessity of believing His Word, accepting His sacrifice
for sin, and obeying Him, for all authority in heaven and on earth
belongs to Him (Matt. 28:18-29). He is the only one through whom
men must be saved (Acts 4:12). The divine name is, in itself, a
strong appeal to abandon the sectarian names of men who were lead-
ing the factions in Corinth.
19
1:10-12 I CORINTHIANS
all speak the same thing.— -It is often said that no two people ever
see a thing exactly alike. This is offered as an excuse for the sin of
division. What if the rule were applied in the field of Mathematics?
The Scriptures condemn division as one of the works of the flesh
(Gal. 5:20). Division destroys the temple of God (I Cor. 3:16-17).
It was possible for the Corinthians to say the same thing about Christ,
as Paul clearly shows by the questions and their implied answers in
verse 13.
be perfected, together in the same mini and in the, same judgment, —
This expression was used in political circles to urge groups to com-
pose their differences. This, most likely, is the sense in which it is to
be taken here. The expression is used throughout the N. T. with
various applications. Fishermen used the term when they spoke of
mending their nets,, or preparing them for use. It was a medical term
meaning to set a dislocated joint. Read Gal. 6:1 where it is translated;
"restore" with this in mind. It was used to describe the outfitting of a
ship to get it ready for a voyage. It is rewarding to think of all these
usages in relation to the problem in Corinth.
They were to have the same attitude of mind so that when they
expressed an opinion all would say the same thing. This would pre-
vent- the divisions among, them which were produced by one of them;
saying, "I am of Paul," while another said, "I am of Apollos." Com-
posing their differences meant getting back to the position where they,
could be in the same frame of mind and all say the same thing when-
they expressed an opinion or judgment.
by them* of Chide.— Paxil had received his information about condi-
tions in' Corinth from those who were in some way connected with
Chloe. Were they servants in her household, or were they members of
her family? We cannot answer these questions. Evidently, they were
aware of the problems and believed that Paul should be informed.'
Their action is to be commended, for when problems arise in a con-
gregation the correct thing to do is to turn to the inspired Word of
God for the solution.
contentions.— ~The divisions (splits) in the church resulted from the,
strife over leaders. Some were saying that they belonged to Paul;,
some, to Apollos; some, to Cephas; some, to Christ. Is this last group
composed of the true Christians in Corinth or to a wrangling party,
arrogating to itself the divine name? The context seems to imply the
latter. It is possible to use the name of Christ in a sectarian manner.
Is Christ divided? — Certainly Christ is not divided. He alone died ort
20
CHAPTER ONE 1:13-17
the cross to save the world. Only the sinless Lamb of God could be-
come sin on our behalf (II Cor. 5:21). Certainly, Paul wasn't cruci-
fied for them; hence, there was no excuse lor anyone or them to
claim that he had been baptized in Paul's name.
A moment's reliection on these three questions shows how ridic-
ulous the divisions in Corinth were. Two of them are so framed as to
require a negative answer. Thus, all must speak the same thing in
answering these questions.
/ baptized none of you. — Why did Paul thank God that he had bap-
tized none of the Corinthians, except the few mentioned? This does
not suggest that he considered baptism of no importance. See Rom.
6:1-11; I Cor. 10:1-2; 12:13. The evident meaning is that he was
thankful that he had personally baptized this limited number so as
to avoid the very criticism that was being made that people were
being baptized in his name. If he had not taught them to get them-
selves baptized, there never would have been a question about the one
into whose name they had been baptized. All of them knew that they
had been baptized into the name of Christ, for He was crucified for
them.
Crippus, Gaius, Stephanas. — "Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue,
believed in the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians
hearing believed, and were baptized" (Acts 18:8). The identity of
Gaius is not certain, but see Acts 20:4. Stephanas was the first convert
of Achaia (I Cor. 16:15).
For Christ sent me not to baptize,— Careless reading of this statement
might lead some to believe that Paul did not consider baptism im-
portant. A similar statement is found in John 4:1-2. "The Pharisees
had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than
John." John adds the explanation: "Jesus himself baptized not, but
his disciples."
After Paul had baptized a few, they could have taken up the task
of baptizing the rest while Paul continued to proclaim the good news.
Baptism was a part of the proclamation of the gospel. See Matt.
28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16. The facts of the gospel which deal with
the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ are symbolized in the act
of baptism, for baptism is a burial and a resurrection (Rom. 6:4).
lest the cross of Christ should be made void. — "Words of wisdom"
that left out the sacrifice of Christ made the cross an empty thing.
Paul's aim was to avoid the philosophical speculations of the day and
to preach Christ in such a manner that men would desire to be bap-
tized in His name. That gave meaning to the cross of Christ.
21
1:18,19 I CORINTHIANS
The Word of the Cross and the Wisdom of the World (18-31)
■■ Text ■ '-'" ; "'
1:18-31. For the word of the cross is to. them that perish foolish-
ness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is
written,
I will destroy the wisdom of the wisej
And the discernment of the discerning will I bring to nought.
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of
this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
2 1 For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its wis-
dom knew not God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolish-
ness of the preaching to save them that believe. 22 Seeing that Jews
ask for signs, and Greeks seek after wisdom: 23 but we preach Christ
crucified, unto Jews a stumbling-block, and unto Gentiles foolishness;
24 but unto them that are called, both Jews arid Greeks, Christ the
power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of
God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than
men.
26 For behold your calling, brethren, that not many wise after trie
flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; are called: 27 but God
chose the foolish things of the world, that he rnight put to shame
them that are wise; and God chose' the weak things of the world,
that he might put to shame the things that ate strong; 28 and the
base things of the world, and the things that are despised, did God
choose, yea and the things that are not, that he might bring to
nought the things that are: 29 that no flesh should glory before Godl
30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom
from God, and righteousness and sanctifkation, and redemption: 3t
that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the
Lord. - " !
Commentary .
the word of the cross. — The divisions in the church at Corinth were
being perpetuated by those who were putting "the wisdom of the
world" above the gospel of Christ. By contrasting the two, Paul con r
demns the party spirit. The contrast is plain." it is between "them thai
perish" arid those "who ate saved"; it is between "foolishness" and
"the power of God." " ',
For it is written. — The quotation is from Isa. 29:14. It is freely ap-
plied by the apostle to the situation at hand. In the time of Isaiah, the
wisdom of the worldly statesmen failed to protect Judah against the^
invasion of the Assyrians. The quotation is thus applied to the situ-:
22
CHAPTER ONE 1:18-21
ation in Corinth: "the wisdom of the world" could not possibly save
men from destruction in the spiritual realm. That can only be done
through the word of the cross.
the power of God, — It is through the gospel that the power of God
is channeled into the mind of those who hear the message. The force
of the facts of the gospel (the life, death, and resurrection of Christ)
changes unbelief into faith. The force of the motives of the gospel
(the goodness of God, Rom. 2:4, godly sorrow for sin, II Cor. 7:10,
and, among others, the consideration of the impending judgment,
Acts 17:30-31) changes the will, and that change of the will is re-
pentance. Submission to the command of the gospel to be baptized
into Christ brings the penitent believer to the blood of Christ which
washes away sin (Mk. 16:15-16; Rom. 6:4; Acts 22:16; Heb. 9:14;
10:22).
This power of God to save the believer was demonstrated in the
resurrection of Christ (Eph. 1:19-20). It is the same power that
raises the one dead in trespasses and sin to the new life in Christ
(Eph. 2:4-6). It is "the power that worketh in us" (Eph. 3:20), that
is, the power of the gospel to save and to equip the believer to
"quench all the fiery darts of the evil one" (Eph. 6: 16) .
the wise, the scribe, the disputer of this world. — Paul calls upon the
wise (the Greek) and the scnbe (the Jew) and the debater of the
world (both Greek and Jew) in such a manner as to show that none
of them could offer anything to save man from his sin. The reason is
clear: "the world in its wisdom did not know God."
the foolishness of preaching, — The word of the cross," although looked
upon by those who were perishing as foolishness, was the power
of God to save the believer. Foolishness does not refer to the act of
preaching, but to the message that is proclaimed, that is, the word of
the cross. While the basic facts of the gospel are the death, burial,
and resurrection of Christ, the gospel is not limited to these facts, for
it takes the whole Bible to tell the whole story of the whole counsel
of God about salvation through His Son. In the O T. it is seen in
prophecy, promise, and type. In the N. T. it is seen in the facts of the
life of Christ; in the history of conversion to Christ; in the explana-
tion of the essentials of righteousness; in the applicaton of the gospel
to daily life; and, finally, in the prophecy of the victory of Christ and
of those who accept His gospel.
to save them that believe. — God reaches the mind of the unconverted
sinner through the message of the cross. When God created man, He
created him with the capacity to respond to His commands. It re-
23
1:21-24 I CORINTHIANS
quires no miracle of "illumination" to enable man to understand what
God says in the Bible. That is why the word of the cross can save the
believer. Followers of Christ are to proclaim it; sinners are to believe
it; and God will save those who believe it. These three issues should
be carefully noted: (1) God made foolish the wisdom of the world;
(2) the world through its wisdom didn't know God; (3) in the
wisdom of God, God was pleased to save the believer through the
foolishness of the message that was preached.
Jews ask for signs. — See Matt. 12:38-40; John 2:18; 6:30; Matt.
27:42.
Greeks seek after wisdom, — See Acts 17:21; I Cor. 2 : 6-9.
unto Jews a stumbling block.— -The Greek word which is translated
stumblingblock referred to the trigger of a trap, and then to the trap
or some means of causing one to stumble. The crucified Messiah was
like this to the Jew. The Jewish concept of Messiah led them to
think of an earthly kingdom such as existed in the days of David and
Solomon. How could Christ crucified be their expected leader? They
failed to understand that His kingdom was not of this world. They
would have been glad to make Him their king in opposition to
Caesar, but He refused the temporal crown. They turned against Him,
and in the end they cried out, "We have no king but Caesar." See
John 6:14-15; 19:15; Matt. 21:42-44.
unto Gentiles foolishness. — When Paul preached Jesus and the resur-
rection in Athens, the philosophers called him a "babbler" — one who
had no real system of philosophy like theirs, but who was like the
little birds seen in the marketplace picking up bits of food here and
there. Compared to their systems of wisdom, this seemed like foolish-
ness. (Acts 17:18).
Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.— In. contrast to the
Jews and Greeks who rejected the message of the cross, Paul points
out those — both Jews and Greeks — who accept Christ as the power
of God and the wisdom of God. Those who are called are the ones
who respond to God's call through the gospel (I Thes. 2:13-14).
Christ is the power of God, that is, He is the one who exercises God's
power to save the believer. The gospel has a logical force, the force of
the facts of the gospel to produce faith; it has an emotional force,
the force of the motives of the gospel to produce repentance; it has
a redemptive force, the force of the blood of Christ to cleanse from
sin. Christ is the wisdom of God, that is, He is the one who has re-
vealed the divine wisdom that has to do with salvation; in other
words, what to do to be saved and how to live the Christian life. He
24
CHAPTER one 1:25-30
is the personal revelation of God, and through His office as prophet,
He caused the written revelation of God, the Bible, to be written.
foolishness of God. — As the context indicates, this expresses man's
attitude toward the things of God. But, as Paul indicates, what man
deems foolish and weak in God's plan to save the sinner is wiser and
stronger than man. David's conquest of Goliath illustrates the point.
behold your calling, — The words that follow explain Paul's reference
to the "foolishness" and "weakness" of God. A glance at their own
station in life was enough to show the Corinthians that the word of
the cross had made its greatest appeal to those of the lower class.
While it is true that the early church was made up largely of those
from the lower classes, it does not follow that others were excluded.
Crispus and Sosthenes were rulers of synagogues, and Dionysius, a
convert at Athens, was known as the Areopagite, a member of the
high court of Athens. It was not, however, until the fourth century
that the world was to see a professed Christian — at least, one who
favored Christianity — on the throne of the Roman Empire.
things that are not. — God chose the things that are spiritual — right-
eousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17) — rather
than eating and drinking. He chose the Christian virtues rather than
the Jewish practices. He chose righteousness, sanctification, and re-
demption (I Cor. 1:31) rather than wickedness, uncleanness, and
slavery to sin — characteristics of Gentile conduct.
no flesh should glory before God, — No human being can boast of his
accomplishments before God. Man cannot save himself; he can be
saved only by God's grace through faith expressed in obedience. The
Christian belongs to God because of his relation to Christ Jesus. By
using what man calls weak and foolish, God has made it impossible
for any man to boast that he could have performed Christ's redemp-
tive work on the cross. Christ alone made that sacrifice.
■wisdom from God. — Christ is the personal revelation of God; He is
"the word made flesh." Through His office as prophet, He is the
author of the written revelation. See I Cor. 2:6 for further comment
.on this wisdom.
righteousness, — This word is used in three ways in the N. T. It refers
to the fact that God is right; to the standard of conduct that God
demands of man; and to the status of one whom God considers right
in His sight because his sins have been forgiven.
Christ is the righteousness of God in relation to all three annota-
tions. He was without sin (John 8:46; Heb. 4:15; 7:26; II Cor.
5:21); in His conduct He always did the will of His Father (John
25
1:30,31 I CORINTHIANS
5:19); righteousness (remission of sins) is made possible through
the blood of Christ (Rom. 3:21-25).
redemption. — Christ is our redemption, that is, He is the one who has
provided our release from slavery to sin (Rom. 6:16-18). He is all
that is needed. He alone by His Spirit through the apostles revealed
the wisdom that is proclaimed in the message of the cross.
Summary
The interesting account of the beginning of the church in Corinth
is given in Acts 18:1-17. Luke states in simplest terms that Paul left
Athens and came to Corinth. There he found Aquilla and Priscilla
who had recently come from Rome. The work began in the synagogue
of the Jews, but Paul was soon forced to move to the house next
door which belonged to a man by the named Titus Justus. Luke also
records the conversion of Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue. En-
couraged by the vision from the Lord. Paul stayed in Corinth for a
year and six months teaching the Word of God. Persecuting Jews
brought Paul into the court of Gallio. His indifference to the quarrels
of the Jews probably saved Paul from the beating which was given to
another, Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue.
, Paul visited Corinth a second time, during his third missionary
tpur (Acts 19:21; 20:2-3).
The problems that were faced in starting the work in Corinth set
the pattern for its subsequent history. Corinth was destined to become
a problem church. First Corinthians was written to straighten out
their problem?. .There were : problems of division and derelictions;
there were problems of marriage and meats used in idolatrous wor-
ship; there were problems that related to women's costume in public
and abuses of the Lord's supper; there were problems about spiritual
gifts; there were problems connected with the doctrine of the resur-
rection. The problems at Corinth were very similar to the problems
of the church today. First Corinthians, therefore, becomes an im-
portant book for those who seek to adjust present problems in the
light of divine revelation.
Paul appropriately begins the epistle with a reference to his
apostleship. He is an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God.
He Writes with the authority of one sent By Christ and upheld bv the
will of God. This assures his readers that; they will find in this lettej
the divine solution to their problems. Paul lifts the solution of the
problems of the church Out of the hands of wrangling men and puts
it where it belongs, within the limits Of the authority of Jesus Christ
as expressed in the writing of His inspired apostle. \
26
CHAPTER ONE
Sosthenes, who must have been well known to the church at
Corinth, is associated with Paul in the greeting to his fellow-Chris-
tians at Corinth.
Although they were guilty of conduct so unbecoming to a Chris-
tian, Paul addresses them as those who were sanctified and called
saints. Thus, he upholds the ideals to which he attempts to lift them
through his inspired instruction. The Corinthians were not the only
ones who were sanctified and called saints, for with them Paul in-
cludes all those who, because they recognized their utter dependence
on Christ for their salvation, called upon the name of Jesus Christ.
Paul's customary salutation of grace and peace sounds the deep
spiritual tone of the letter.
Before taking up the problems that are to be discussed in the
epistle, the apostle pauses to thank God for the spiritual enrichment
of the Corinthians. God had supplied them with the information they
needed as brethren in Christ and the ability to use this information
when they spoke. They had received the established testimony about
Christ so that they lacked nothing; they, therefore, did not need to
turn to worldly wisdom for help as they awaited the day when
Christ would be revealed. Such testimony would establish them to the
very end as unreprovable followers of Christ. This assurance was
furnished them by the faithful God who had called them through the
gospel into close association with His Son.
As Paul takes up the problems which are to be discussed in the
epistle, he mentions first the matters which had been reported to him
by the household of Chloe. From this source he had learned of their
divided state and their consequent derelictions in such matters as
immorality, litigation and abuse of the body.
Paul approaches the problem of division with a view to securing
his readers acceptance of the inspired solution which he presents: he
exhorts them as "brethrens." He urges all of them to say the same
thing, instead of saying, "I am of Paul" or "I am of Apollos." He
urges them to settle their differences which had caused splits in the
church. It was possible for all to say the same tlr'ng by adopting the
same mental attitude and expressing the same opinion on such ques-
tions as these: Is Christ divided? Paul wasn't crucified for you, was
he? You were not baptized into his name, were you? It was to avoid
possible claim of beine baptized into the name of Paul that he re-
frained from personally baptizing any of the Corinthians except
Crispus, Gaius, and the household of Stephenas. Paul determined
that the cross of Christ should not become an empty thing.
27
I CORINTHIANS
Having thus indicated the folly of their divisions, he continues to
rebuke the sin of division as he contrasts the word of the cross with
the wisdom of the world. Worldly wisdom was a contributing cause
of their wrangling disputes, but Paul reminds them that the issue is
salvation or destruction, as the Scriptures clearly stated. The world
that followed the wise ones of that day did not know God, but God's
plan was to save believers through the message of the cross. Both
Jews and Greeks failed to see this. Those, however, who did see k
discovered that Christ has revealed God's wisdom and exercises God's
power to save; - ; '
• This could easily be verified by looking at themselves. God had
not called many of the wise of that day nor many of noble birth. He
had chosen the humble and the weak that men might be taught not
to boast in their own power,: but to glory in Christ who exercises
God's power to save. Christ who revealed the wisdom from God is
the source of their forgiveness, cleansing, and freedom.
Questions
1 . What is the history of the founding of the church at Corinth?
2. Why did Paul write the book?
3. What is the theme' of First Corinthians? -
4. What are its principal divisions? ' r
5. What is said of Paul's call to apostleship?
6. What is meant by "called apostle"?
7. Who is Sostheries? Why is. he mentioned? •
8. What does the word ''church" mean?
9: Why is it called "the church of God"?
10. What is meant by "sanctified"? What is implied by this term as
to the life of the Corinthian church? '■■' ' ; -
11. How does the expression "called saints'' relate to the problem at
: Corinth? .■■■<■■ . ;
12. What is meant by "call upon the name of the Lord"? What
bearing does this have on the problem? r ■
13. How many times is the word "Lord" used in the first nine verses?
14. What effect would this have on the readers of the epistle?
15. In view of the situation at Corinth, well known to Paul, why
speak of "grace and peace"?
16. Knowing these conditions, how could Paul say, "I thank my
God"?
•17. What was "the grace that had been given them"?
18. What had enriched them?
19. What is meant by "utterance" and "knowledge"?
20. How was the testimony confirmed?
28
CHAPTER ONE
21. Why did Paul say, "Ye came behind in no gift"?
22. What is meant by "the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ"?
23. What is meant by "confirm you unto the end"? How ac-
complished?
24. What is "the day of our Lord Jesus Christ"?
25. What is meant by "unreprovable"? What would its use suggest
to the Corinthians?
26. What is meant by "called into the fellowship"?
27. What is meant by each word in the expression, "Lord Jesus
Christ"?
28. What was Paul's purpose in appealing to the Corinthians in this
name?
29- What is meant by "mind" and "judgment"?
30. What is meant by "perfected together"? How does this relate to
the problem at Corinth?
31. What was the source of Paul's information about conditions in
Corinth?
32. What was the nature of their divisions?
33. Why did Paul ask, "Is Christ divided?"
34. How account for Paul's remark about baptism?
35. Who were Crispus, Gaius, and Stephanas?
36. How could the cross of Christ be made void?
37. What two views of the word of the cross does Paul show?
38. What two views of wisdom are given?
39. How does the power of God reach our lives? " -
40. What is meant by "the foolishness of preaching"?
41. How can the word of the cross save the believer?
42. In what were Jews and Greeks interested?
.43. Why was Christ a stumbling block to Jews?
44. Why was the message of the gospel considered foolishness by
the Greeks?
45. What is meant by the statement, "Christ the power of God and
the wisdom of God"?
46. What did Paul mean by "the foolishness of God"?
•47. Why did Paul say, "beyond your calling"?
48. What is meant by "no flesh should glory before God"?
49. In what way are righteousness and redemption related to Christ?
For Discussion
1. In what ways are the divisions in the church today like those in
Corinth?
2. How would the remedies for division which Paul presents in First
Corinthians work today?
29
CHAPTER TWO
. Analysis- . ; ,-;::: !;;■■ ! '■'- .
A. Paul's preaching in Corinth (1-5).
1. What He determined to do atCorinth ( 1-2 )V
a) It was in accord with what he had just written about "wis-
dom. Paul's own ministry Ulustfates the same issue as the
lives of the Corinthian Christians. *■■■■.'■:-"
b) It was the thing he did when he first came to Corinth. It
was an established pattern for his preaching everywhere: '
c) It was'not with excellency of speech Or wisdom, that is, not
with exalted rhetoric or wisdom of man. It was the simple
message of Christ and Him crucified; it was the gospel
message which Christ revealed to him by the Holy Spirit.
2. What his attitude was ( 3 ) J .
a) It was one of weakness, fear, and trembling.
b) Probably not fear of physical danger or what man might
do to him, but fear lest he shoul fail to please his Lord
Jesus Christ.
3. What his preaching consisted in (4).
a) Not persuasive words of wisdom such as characterized the
speech of the wise men of Corinth.
b) He said it was in demonstration of Spirit and of power,
that is, it was in logically proven statements revealed by
the Holy Spirit and supported by the miracles that ac-
companied his preaching.
4. What his purpose was (5).
His purpose was to preach in such a manner that the faith
of his hearers should not be based on the wisdom of men,
but on the power of God. :
B. The apostles speak wisdom (6-16).
1. The pronoun "we' y suggests that he is speaking of himself and
the other inspired apostles.
2. It was wisdom for those who were fullgrowri. Some who took
great pride in their own wisdom looked upon the Gospel as
foolishness, but Paul considered it to be wisdom for those
who were mature enough to appreciate it.
3. It was not "wisdom of the world or of the rulers of the
world." Man's wisdom could not compare with the revealed
wisdom spoken by the inspired apostles.
4. Nature of this wisdom ( 7-9 ) .
30
CHAPTER TWO
a) God's wisdom is in a mystery, that is, God's revealed wis-
dom would have remained a mystery forever if He had not
made it known through the inspired apostles and prophets.
b) The rulers of the world, being uninspired, could not have
known this wisdom by any means available to them.
5. How the apostles received this wisdom (10-12).
a) God revealed it to them through the Holy Spirit who
searches the deep things of God ( 10) .
b) This was the only way by which man could have known
this mature wisdom (11-12).
( 1 ) The spirit of man knows about the things of man.
(2) The Spirit of God knows about the things of God.
(3) The inspired apostles received the Spirit which is
from God in order that they might know about the
things God graciously gave them.
6. The inspired apostles speak the words of this wisdom which
the Spirit revealed to them ( 13-16) .
a) This is not in words which man's wisdom teaches, but
which the Spirit taught the inspired apostles ( 13 ) .
b) The "natural" or uninspired man could not receive these
things (14). Note: This does not say that man without
the aid of the Holy Spirit could not understand the mes-
sage revealed by the inspired apostles.
c) They were foolishness to the uninspired man because they
must be revealed through the inspired apostles who, by
the power of the Holy Spirit, examine or investigate them
and speak them so that they may be understood by all who
read them (14).
d) The inspired apostle (the spiritual one) investigates all
things of the wisdom to be revealed through him, but no
man passes on his qualifications to be an apostle ( 15 ) .
e) The reason for the apostles' ability to make known God's
revealed wisdom is that they have the mind of Christ (16).
Paul's Preaching at Corinth ( 1-5 )
Text
2:1-5. And I, brethren, when I came unto you, came not with
excellency of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony
of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you, save
Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness,
31
2:1 I CORINTHIANS
and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my
preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstra-
tion of the Spirit and of power: 5 that your faith should not stand in
the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
Commentary
And I, — This expression requires the reader to think of what Paul
had just said about the wisdom of the world. See 1:18, 21, 24, 30. In
the closing paragraph of chapter one he calls on the Corinthians to
think of their own situation as an illustration of his point about
worldly wisdom in contrast to the word of the cross, As he begins
chapter two, he refers to his ministry at Corinth to confirm his posi-
tion that the word of the cross is the power of God to save the be-
liever. It is most important to keep this in mind throughout the study
of this chapter.
brethren. — This term should have helped the Corinthians recall the
happy relation they had with the apostle and, indeed, among them-
selves when he first preached the gospel to them. It suggested the
relationship between members of the family of the heavenly Father.
■when I came. — As Paul was writing, he was looking back upon his
whole ministry at Corinth with its problems, its successes, its dis-
couragements, and its hopes. The history of his first ministry at
Corinth is found in Acts 18:1-17. He had just concluded his work
at Athens where some had believed his message about "Jesus and
the resurrection." Among those who believed were "Dionysius the
Areopagite and woman named Damaris, and others" (Acts 17:34).
The expression "and others" is significant. How many were included
in it is not known. Some have suggested that Paul failed at Athens.
In the light of Luke's statement about the two people of great im-
portance whose names he gives and the others who are not named, it
would seem that there is no real ground for the supposed failure.
not with excellency of speech. — Paul did not depend on the devices
of oratory to win support for his message. In II Cor. 11:16, he says,
"But though I be rude in speech, yet I am not in knowledge." He may
have been looked upon by the professional orator as lacking in skill,
but this would not justify the supposition that he was without ade-
quate training for his task. In Acts 22:3, he mentions his training
under Gamaliel. In Gal 1:14, he tells of his education in the Jew's
religion. Besides all this, he always depended upon the message that
came to him "through revelation of Jesus Christ" ( Gal. 1:12).
32
CHAPTER TWO 2:1,2
the testimony of God. — This may mean either God's testimony or the
testimony about God. Both views make good sense in the context.
The message Paul preached was God's testimony; it was the word of
the cross revealed by the Holy Spirit. Only God's revealed message
can cope with the problem of saving the sinner.
But it could be the testimony about God, for Paul preached Christ
and Him crucified. The inspired apostles were equipped to speak this
message. See Matt. 10:19-20; Luke 21:14-15; John 16:13-14. Paul,
of course, had all the rights and powers of an apostle (I -Cor 9:1-2).
/ determined not to know. — The supposed failure at Athens and the
statement that "Paul was constrained by the word, testifying to the
Jews that Jesus was the Christ" (Acts 18:5 ) have led some to believe
that Paul changed his usual approach when he came to Corinth. But
according to Acts 17:8 he did not deviate from his usual approach at
Athens for there he "preached Jesus and the resurrection." The ser-
mon about the "Unknown God" led to the conclusion that God "will
judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained;
whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised
him from the dead" (Acts 17:31). The fact that he quoted some of
their own poets does not mean that he was assuming the role of a
Greek teacher by presenting his own system or way of life. As an
educated man being used by the Holy Spirit, he made use of this
opportunity to gain a favorable hearing for his message. But to
mention their poets was enough. He proceeded to proclaim his mes-
sage about the man God had ordained to judge the world. The
message he preached at Corinth was exactly the same as the message
he preached everywhere.
Jesus Christ and him crucified. — Despite the fact as stated in 1:23-24
that Greeks looked at the cross as foolishness and Jews found it to be
a stumbling block, Paul determined to preach nothing but the mes-
sage of the cross. His determination was based on the conviction that
this message was the power of God to save the lost sinner; he was
convinced that it had divine approval; he knew he had been called
to proclaim that message. Immediately upon his conversion in Damas-
cus, he began to "proclaim Jesus that he is the Son of God" (Acts
9:20). There is no evidence that he ever deviated from this course.
Paul was content to present "the Way" (Acts 24: 14) .
Let Greeks strive for excellence and skill in presenting their schemes
to succeed in life, but Paul persisted in the proclamation of the truth
as it is in Christ Jesus. He did not need to enter into endless dis-
cussions with a view to discovering the truth as the Greeks did, for
33
2:2-5 I CORINTHIANS
he spoke the wisdom which God revealed to him through the Holy
Spirit. This message of the cross is adequate to equip man for life
here and hereafter. Paul was determined to remain true to the trust
that had been committed to him. See I Tim. 1:12-17; II Tim. 1:12-
14. As an inspired apostle, he was a steward of "the mysteries of
God," and that required him to be faithful (I Cor. 4:1-2).
/ was with you in weakness, — Paul often admitted his weakness and
his dependence on God (II Cor. 12:9-10). His whole ministry was
in accord with his remark in I Cor. 1:31, "He that glorieth, let him
glory in the Lord."
fear and trembling. — He was not afraid for his own safety. See II
Cor. 11:24-32 which tells of the things he had suffered. For the
Lord's assurance to him in the face of danger, see Acts 18:9-10. In II
Tim. 1:12, he tells of his own confidence m face of suffering. It is
quite possible that he uses the term "fear and trembling" in the
sense in which it is used in Eph. 6:5 which speaks of the proper atti-
tude of respect and obedience a servant should have toward his
master. Paul certainly held this attitude toward his Lord, for, as he
preached the word of the cross, his concern was not for the approval
of men, but for the approval of the Lord ( I Thes. 2:4).
faith stand in the power of God. — The faith of those who were
being saved rested on the solid foundation of God's revealed wisdom.
It could not rest on the sandy foundation of the wisdom of men, no
the miracles wrought through the apostle, demonstrated the, mes-
matter how cleverly they might present it. God's power, exhibited in
sage to be true. For the miracles wrought through Paul, see II Cor.
12:12; Acts 19:11-12.
By no stretch of the imagination could man have devised the
scheme of redemption presented in the Bible. By the time the gospel
was being preached in the first century, the world had been given
ample time to try all of its schemes to save itself: pagan religion;
animal and even human sacrifice; philosophies of some of the greatest
thinkers the world had produced; and military force. All had failed.
Surely the world was ready for the message of div : ne wisdom. Only
God's power channeled into the lives of men through the gospel could
save a world "dead in trespasses and, sin." (Eph 2:1).
By this careful approach in verses 1-5, Paul has prepared his read-
ers for the next thought of the chapter: Wisdom spoken through the
inspired apostles.
34
CHAPTER TWO 2:6
The Apostles Speak Wisdom (6-16)
Text
2:6-16. We speak wisdom, however, among them that are full-
grown: yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world,
who are coming to nought: 7 but we speak God's wisdom in a mys-
tery, even the wisdom that hath been hidden, which God foreordained
before the worlds unto our glory: 8 which none of the rulers of this
world hath known: for had they known it, they would not have cruci-
fied the Lord of glory: 9 but as it is written,
Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not,
And which entered not into the heart of man,
Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him.
10 But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit
searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For who among
men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which
is in him? even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of
God. 12 But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit
which is from God; that we might know the things that were freely
given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in words
which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth; combin-
ing spiritual things with spiritual words. 14 Now the natural man
receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness
unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually
judged. 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, and he himself
if judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord,
that he should instruct him? But he have the mind of Christ.
Commentary
We. — It is important that we keep in mind the antecedent of this
pronoun. In 2:1-5, it is clear that Paul is speaking of his own preach-
ing as an inspired apostle. Beginning in verse 6, he includes all of the
apostles in the statement, "We speak wisdom." He does not say "we"
just to avoid the use of the first person singular. Note II Cor. 10:1
where he uses the expression, "I Paul myself." In the light of the con-
text and the history of Pentecost (Acts 2), this could not possibly
refer to all Christians. Only the apostles were baptized in the Holy
Spirit on that day. But the people, without miraculous aid, did under-
stand what the Spirit said to them through the apostles. The only il-
lumination they needed to realize that they were sinners of the worst
sort was the light that fell on their minds through the inspired
35
2:6,7 I CORINTHIANS
message spoken through the apostle. The force of the facts about the
life, death and resurrection of Christ led them to cry out, "Brethren,
what shall we do?" It required no operation of the Spirit other than
the command issued through the apostles to let them understand that
they needed to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of their sins, ,
Paul, of course, had all the power of the other apostles. It was
necessary for him to include all of the apostles in this reference to
the manner in which God revealed His wisdom.
Keeping this antecedent in mind will help determine who the
"natural man" is and who is meant by the expression, "he that is
spiritual." See notes on verses 14-15.
wisdom.- — Once again, Paul points out the contrast between the wis-
dom of the world and the wisdom of God revealed by Christ through
the inspired apostles. The rulers of this world who crucified the Lord
of glory were not acting upon the instruction of the wisdom of God.
But on the Day of Pentecost, the three thousand who had been de-
ceived by them reversed the decision they had made when they cried
out for Jesus to be crucified, and they got themselves baptized for the
remission of their sins (Acts 2:38-39).
It is evident that man could have understood what God had re-
vealed in the Old Testament concerning the Christ. God evidently
intended that His revealed wisdom should guide the thinking of men,
not some supposed inner direction of the Spirit.
God's wisdom in a mystery. — "Mystery" in the New Testament refers
to that which would have forever remained unknowable if God had
not revealed it through the inspired apostles and prophets. But s'nce
it has been revealed, we are not to assume that it takes additional il-
lumination or miraculous effort of the Spirit to enable us to under-
stand it. Paul clearly showed the Ephesians that God had made this
mystery known through h ; m, and that the Ephesians could know of
his understanding when they read what he had written (Eph. 2:1-4),
A few simple rules will help us when we read the Bib'e: (1)
Scripture must be understood in the light of its context. An important
illustration of this is found in I Cor. 2:9- Popular interpretation
makes this verse refer to heaven, "things which God prepared for
them that loved him." But the context clearly shows that it has to
do with the wonderful things revealed for us in the Bible. Scripture
is always more helpful when taken in the sense intended by the in-
spired writers. Context refers to what goes immediately before and
what follows immediately after a particular verse. It also suggests the
36
CHAPTER TWO 2:7
necessity of keeping the text and its immediate context in line with
the whole thought or theme of the book. In studying First Corin-
thians (or any other book of the Bible) it is well to read the whole
book frequently, keeping in mind the progress of thought at all times,
Help in doing this will be had by reference to the charts that picture
the development of the theme of the book. ( 2 ) Some other rules that
will help are these: Know who is speaking and to whom the message
is spoken. Note carefully the purpose of the statement, the meaning
of words, the antecedents of pronouns, and all other grammatical and
syntactical matters. (3) A very important rule to remember is this:
The New Testament interprets the Old Testament; the epistles, which
were written within the framework of the history given in Acts, inter-
prets the gospels; literal language explains the figurative; plain teach-
ing explains the symbolic. (See Carnel, A Case For Orthodox Tbeol-
°gy> P- 53; The Westminster Press, Philadelphia.) (4) One who
seeks to understand the Bible must determine first what the particular
passage says and then what is meant by the statement. After this is
done one can make application of the verse to the particular problem
at hand. (See Chamberlain, An Exegetical Grammar of the Greek
New Testament, p. 5; The Macmillan Company, N. Y., 1941).
know. — None of the rulers of the world has known the wisdom of
God. Verse 14 states that the natural man cannot know the th'ngs of
the Spirit of God. But according to verse 12, the inspired apostles did
know the things that were graciously given them from God.
The problem involved in these statements hinges on the meaning
of the two Greek words which are here translated by the one word
"know." The first of these words, which Paul uses in connection with
the inability of the natural man and the rulers of the world to know
the wisdom of God, means to become aware of through experience or
observation. It may also mean to understand. In the light of the con-
text, which of the meanings best fits this passage? Are we to say
that the natural or uninspired man cannot understand the message
revealed by the Holy Spirit? Some do take this position. But are we
to say that God who created man, an intelligent being capable of
communicating his thoughts through language, could not speak to
His creature in a manner so as to be understood? What is the pur-
pose of God's revealed wisdom if it cannot be understood? But, of
course, man by his own experience and observation could never know
God's mind. The only way he could know it was by the revelation
through the apostles and prophets. See II Pet. 1:17-21; Heb. 1:1-2.
37
2:7-12 I CORINTHIANS
The other word which is translated "know" means to know by
mental insight, reflection, or by information being given. The re-
vealed wisdom of God clearly falls into this category. That is why
Paul uses this word when he says that the Spirit was given to the
apostles that they might know (as a result of information given
them by the Holy Spirit) the things that God graciously gave to
them.
While it is true that these two words are often used synonymously,
it will be enlightening to keep the distinction in mind in studying
this chapter. The uninspired man could never have produced the
Bible; but an intelligent person can, by using the rules that apply to
the understanding and interpretation of all language, understand the
Bible.
A good example of the meaning of both of these words is found in
John 14:7. Jesus said, "If you had known me, ye would have known
my Father." The first word for know is the one that means to recog-
nize, to know by experience; the second is the word for know, mean-
ing to know by information given. The distinction does not appear in
our English translations, but according to the Greek text, what Jesus
said was this: "If you had recognized me, you would have known the
Father I am revealing to you."
But we received; not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is
from God. — The spirit of the world is that spirit of the rulers of this
age which resulted from ignorance of God's will. It was the spirit that
led them to crucify the Lord of glory. But the. Spirit which the in-
spired apostles had received was the Holy Spirit which Christ prom-
ised to them (Acts 1:8) and which they received when they were
baptized in the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4). That is why Paul says, "we
(the inspired apostles) received the Spirit (not spirit) from God in
order that we might know (by revelation) the things of God."
"The spirit which is from God" surely refers to the Holy Spirit.
The word should be capitalized when referring to the Holy Spirit.
"The Spirit which is from God" is the same as "the Spirit" referred
to in verse 10. There the word is capitalized as it should be.
we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the
Spirit teacheth. — "We" refers to the inspired apostles, not to Chris-
tians in general. The apostles did not speak a message taught by hu-
man wisdom. It was divinely revealed through the Holy Spirit. See
James 3:15-17 for a similar contrast between the reasoning of man
and the wisdom from God.
combining spiritual things with spiritual. — There are many different
38
CHAPTER TWO 2:13,14
interpretations of this statement. The American Standard Version
supplies "words" in italics since it is not in the Greek in this phrase.
It is in the immediate context and may be correctly implied in this
phrase also. In the footnote, they suggest this possibility: "interpret-
ing spiritual things to spiritual men." While there is merit in the
reading in the body of the text, there is little merit to the view given
by the footnote. Chrystom, who lived in the fourth century, suggest
that the spiritual things revealed through the apostles are combined
with the spiritual things already revealed through the testimonies,
types, and demonstrations of the Old Testament. He points out that
we are utterly dependent on revelation to understand God's mysteries.
It is easy to see that Paul in this very chapter combines the revelation
given by him with that which had been written. See verse 9- Those
who hold to the "verbal inspiration" theory will find little support in
the Greek text of this verse. It does, however, cleariy support the view
of revelation through the inspired apostles.
Now the natural man. — Traditional theology makes it difficult for
some to see what Paul is saying here. It is contended that no unsaved
man can understand the deep things of the Word of God, and that
even dedicated scholars are unable to use the Word successfully with-
out illumination of the mind provided miraculously by the Holy
Spirit. (See Wuest, The Practical Use of the Greek New Testament,
p. 149; Moody Press, Chicago). If this is true, how can the believer
be saved through the message of the cross which Paul preached? (I
Cor. 1:21) While the natural man can not know the mysteries of
God's wisdom by his own reasoning, he can understand the word re-
vealed by the inspired apostles. It would be foolishness indeed if none
but the inspired could understand the message after it had been re-
vealed. If it takes miraculous illumination on the part of man to
understand the Bible, then the Bible itself is superfluous.
The word translated "natural man" refers to man as an earthly
being limited in his knowledge to what he can know by his own
mental powers. It contemplates man as an earthly creature without
miraculous powers given through the Holy Spirit. It is man by him-
self without the aid of divine revelation.
The context makes it clear that the natural man is the same as the
rulers of this world mentioned in verse 6, that is, man to whom the
mysteries of God had not been revealed. The natural man is con-
trasted with the "one that is spiritual." The "one who is spiritual" is
the inspired apostle or prophet. The natural man, then, is the unin-
spired man.
39
2:14,15 I CORINTHIANS
It should be remembered that while in chapter 2 the contrast is
between natural and spiritual, in chapter 3 it is between carnal and
spiritual. In chapter 2 the inspired apostle is contrasted with the nat-
ural man such as the rulers of this age. In chapter 3, however, the
contrast is between the one who is undeveloped in Christian character
and what they should have been as ones whose lives were dom-
inated by the message revealed through the Holy Spirit. In this con-
nection see Gal. 5 : 16-24 where the thought of being led by what is
spirit is contrasted with what is flesh. The works of the flesh are con-
trasted with the fruit of the spirit. The fruit of the spirit is the Chris-
tian character of the one who permits his spirit to respond to the
teaching of the Holy Spirit through the Word.
foolishness to him.— See 1:25. Foolish things have no meaning. Like-
wise, the mysteries of God before they were revealed to man had no
meaning to him.
he cannot know them. — Paul has explained in 11-12 that no man can
know what is in the mind of another except, of course, as it is told to
him. So man cannot know what is in the mind of God except through
the revelation by the Spirit through the apostles and prophets.
spiritually judged. — The word "judged" in this verse means to sift,
examine, investigate. This particular Greek word translated "judge" in
our Bible is found in the following verses of First Corinthians: 2:14,
15; 4:3, 4; 9:3; 10:25, 27; 14:24.- It will be rewarding to read these .
in the light of the above definition.
The word is often used to describe a preliminary examination or
investigation before a decision is rendered. Such investigations may
have to do with (1 ) sifting evidence to be presented at a trial, or (2)
investigating the qualifications of one who is to be a witness or who
is to sit as judge. It is the word used to describe Pilate's preliminary
investigation of charges against Jesus before he pronounced Him in-
nocent. It is used to denote the action of the inspired apostle who by
the Holy Spirit investigated the "deep things of God" and then spoke
in language that could be understood by their hearers.
he himself is judged of no man— -Since the word "judge" is used with
reference to the investigation of one's qualifications for a task, it is
appropriate to say of the "one who is spiritual" that he is "judged"
of no man. Of course, God passed on the qualifications of His apos-
tles. The Corinthians were not qualified to pass on Paul's fitness to be
an aoostle. for only the Lord could do that ( I Cor. 4: 3-4) .
The "spiritual one" is judged by no man. The context makes it
clear that this is the inspired apostle, but this does not mean that the
40
CHAPTER TWO 2:16
apostles were above criticism for mistakes in personal conduct, Peter's
action at Antioch for -which he was rebuked by Paul answers this ob-
jection (Gal. 2:11-12). Paul does not say that the world cannot
judge the actions of a Christian. Jesus said that men were to see their
good works and glorify the Father in heaven (Matt. 5:16). The in-
vestigation, however, of the fitness of one to be an apostle of Christ is
not the right of any man; only the Lord can do this (I Cor. 4:3-4).
Thus the inspired apostle, by the power of the Holy Spirit, investi-
gates the deep things of God before he speaks them in Spirit-taught
words, but no man passes on his qualifications to be an apostle.
For who hath known the mind of the Lord? — This is the same word
for "know" as in verse 14. The question is: Who, by his own reason-
ing power and without revelation from God, has known the mind of
the Lord? This is the same thing that was said of the "natural man"
and the rulers of this world. No man could know the mind of the
Lord apart from His revealed message. This same thing was made
clear in verses 10-13 which deal with the revelation of God's message
through the inspired apostles.
But we have the mind of Christ. — "We" has the same antecedent
throughout this section (6-16). It cannot refer to all Christians; con-
text requires us to relate it to the inspired apostles and prophets. They
had the "mind of Christ" because the Holy Spirit revealed it to them
(see verses 10 and 12). How thankful we should be that God created
us with a mind capable of reading and understanding the message re-
vealed through the inspired apostles of Christ.
Summary
Chapter two continues the contrast of worldly wisdom and the
word of the cross. It presents Paul's own explanation of the nature of
his preaching in Corinth. He came to Corinth just after his experience
in preaching "Jesus and the resurrection" in Athens. Although Cor-
inth was a city of the worldly wise, he was determined to do exactly
what he had been doing from the moment of his conversion: preach
Christ and Him crucified. This is what he did at Damascus, at Athens,
at Corinth, and ultimately at Rome, for even there he was not
ashamed of the gospel of Christ.
The Greeks loved to indulge in long and involved argumentation,
not so much with a view to discovering truth as with a display of ora-
torical skill that enabled them to win the argument. Paul, however,
was not concerned with their methods; he was convinced that he had
the revealed truth of the gospel and was content to preach that alone.
He freely recognized his own weakness and depended on God for the
41
I CORINTHIANS
revealed wisdom he preached. Like a slave who feared to disobey his
master, Paul preached the word of the cross with fear and trembling
lest he fail to do so in a mariner pleasing to his Lord. His message Was
not in persuasive words of the wisdom of man, but in the truth of the
gospel which was supported by the divine approval of the miracles
that accompanied the preaching of the apostles. Thus the faith of the
Corinthians had a solid foundation in the revealed wisdom of God
rather than a sandy foundation of human speculation.
Lest some might be led to assume that the message of the cross was
inferior to worldly wisdom, Paul explained that it was wisdom among
the mature, implying a state of arrested mental development on the
part of those who followed the wisdom of that age. No one who has
followed the cogent reasoning of Paul in his epistles can doubt the
validity of his claim. The conduct of the rulers of the world and the
quotations from the Scriptures prove his statement. The mysteries' of
God which were hidden through the ages would have remained hid-
den forever if God had not chosen to reveal them through the in-
spired apostles and prophets. Just as one man can not know the mind
of another except he be told, so man cannot know the mind of God
except through the revelation God made by the Holy Spirit. The
apostles spoke the truth of the gospel in clear and understandable
language. The salvation of the sinner depends on his believing that
message.
The rules of interpreting all language apply to the Bible also. Man
does not need to have some miraculous illumination of his mind by
the Holy Spirit to read and understand the Bible any more than a
book of history. God created man with a mind which is capable of
understanding and responding to His directives for life here and here-
after as they are given in the Bible. While there are things in the
Bible that will challenge the greatest of minds, it is evident that it
can be understood and followed as easily as Adam understood what
God told him to do in the Garden. We cannot safely Claim that the
sin of Adam so corrupted the mind of man that he cannot understand
and obey the truth God revealed in the Bible.
What then is the natural man? Paul's own example of what he
meant by this phrase is the reference to the rulers of the world who
crucified the Lord of glory. They had no means of knowing about
God's wisdom until it has been revealed by the inspired servants of
God. Natural man is simply man left to himself without the benefit
of inspired revelation to direct his way of life. The natural man is
contrasted with the inspired apostles. God selected them. No man
42
CHAPTER TWO 3:1,2
passed on their qualifications to be apostles of Christ. And because
they were the inspired apostles of Christ, Paul could say "we have
the mind of Christ."
In this way Paul led to the subject matter of the third chapter. He
is now ready to rebuke them for failure to heed what he had taught
them; the result of that failure was the sin of division.
Questions
1. What is the relation between the subject matter of this chapter
and chapter one?
2. How does Paul's work at Corinth prove the same point which he
illustrates by calling attention to the status of the Corinthians in
chapter one?
3. Why does Paul address them as "brethren" as he begins this
chapter?
4. What is known about the history of Paul's first ministry at
Corinth?
5. What had been doing immediately prior to his coming to
Corinth?
6. What can be said to refute the charge that Paul failed at Athens?
7. Why did Paul say that he did not come "with excellency of
speech"?
8. What did he mean by his remark about "rude of speech"?
9. What is known about the academic training of Paul before he
was commissioned by Christ as the apostle to the Gentiles?
10. In what two ways may we understand the expression "testimony
of God"? Explain how each may fit the context of verse 1.
11. How explain Paul's determination "not to know anything save
Jesus Christ and him crucified" in the light of his educational
background?
12. On what was his determination based?
13- What evidence is there to prove that Paul, from the beginning of
his ministry to its close without exception, preached Christ and
him crucified?
14. In what way does the preaching of Paul stand in striking contrast
to the method of the Greek teachers of his day?
15. How did Paul regard his responsibility in relation to "the mys-
teries of God"?
16. Why did Paul mention his weakness? What did he mean by it?
17. What is known of the dangers Paul faced in his ministry?
18. Is there any evidence to support the theory that he feared for his
personal safety?
43
r CORINTHIANS
19. What assurance did the Lord give him in face of danger?
20. What is a ; probable meaning of his remark about "fear and
trembling"?
21. What kind of foundation for faith did Paul present to the
Corinthians?
22. How did God demonstrate that the message of the apostles was
true?
23. Why is it impossible for men to have produced the revelation of
God's mind which we have in the Bible?
24. In what way was the world ready for this final revelation of
God's will which was preached by the inspired apostles?
25. How did Paul prepare, his readers for the discussion of wisdom
for the mature?
26. What is the antecedent of the pronoun "we" in verses 6-16?
27. Why is it impossible to refer it to all Christians?
28. What is implied by the statement, "Wisdom among the
fullgrown?"
29. How is this wisdom contrasted with the wisdom of the world or
of the rulers of this age?
30. What evidence that uninspired man without the aid of miracu-
lous illumination can and did understand the message revealed
by the Holy Spirit and spoken through the apostles?
31. What is meant in the New Testament by "mystery"?
32. What proof is given in Ephesians that the ordinary reader can
understand the Bible?
33. What are some rules that will help us to understand the Bible?
See Eph. 3:4; Acts 17:11; Psa. 1:2; II Tim. 3:14.
34. What is meant by the two Greek words translated "know" in
this chapter?
35 . In what connection does Paul use each of them?
36. How do the remarks of Jesus in John 14:7 illustrate the mean-
ing of these two words?
37. To whom did Paul refer when he said "We received the Spirit
which is from God"?
38. When should the word "spirit" be capitali2ed in the Bible?
39- What bearing does this have on the meaning of verse 12?
40. What enabled the apostles to speak "the things of God"?
41. What is the source of the words spoken by the apostles?
42. What does James say about the two-fold classification of wisdom?
43. What bearing does this have on Paul's statement to the
Corinthians?
44
CHAPTER TWO
44. How did Chrysostom understand the statement, "combining spirit-
ual things with spiritual"?
45. What other explanations are there for this expression?
46. What bearing does it have on "verbal inspiration"?
47- What does traditional theology say about "the natural man"?
48. With what does Paul contrast the "natural man"?
49. What is the "natural man"?
50. What evidence that Paul means the same thing by "natural man"
and "the rulers of this age"?
51. Who is the "one who is spiritual"?
52. What is the difference between the way the word "spiritual" is
used in chapter two and in chapter three?
53. Why are the "mysteries of God" foolishness to the natural man?
54. What is meant by the expression, "he cannot know them"?
55. What is the definition of the word "know" in this expression?
56. What is meant by "judged" in verses 14 and 15?
57- How can this word be used to explain the apostles' ability to re-
veal the truth of the gospel?
58. What is meant by saying that the one who is spiritual is judged of
no man?
59- Is this world capable of judging the acts of Christians?
60. To whom does Paul refer when he says "we have the mind of
Christ"?
For Discussion
1. What place should education have in training today's ministers?
2. What place should Bible training have in preparing men to
preach?
3. What would happen if all preachers today limited their preaching
to the subject, "Christ and him crucified"?
45
CHAPTER THREE
Analysis
A. The apostle turns his attention to the spiritually immature con-
verts to Christianity at Corinth ( 1-4 ) .
1. He addresses them as 'brethren." By so doing he prepares
them to accept the correction he is about to give.
2. The problem he faced when he was at Corinth. (l-2a).
a) He could not speak to them as to spiritual, that is, mature
Christians.
b) He had to speak to them as unto carnal (made of flesh).
c) They were babes in Christ, that is, just barely beginning
their Christian life.
d) He fed them with milk, not meat, He taught them the ele-
mentary things of the gospel, but they were not able to
advance to the more mature things of the Christian life.
3. They were in the same state as he writes to them in this letter
(2b-4).
a) "Ye are not yet able," that is, to accept the advanced teach-
ing. They were still like babes after all the time that had
elapsed since their conversion.
b) Evidence that supports this charge ( 3 ).
(1) They were still carnal (belonged to flesh) as shown
by the jealousy and strife among them.
(2) They were conducting themselves as mere men, not
like spiritual beings, that is, "new creatures in Christ."
c) An illustration of what he meant by this charge is sug-
gested by his question, "When one saith, I am of Paul;
and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not men?"
B. He explains the relation of himself and Apollos to the brethen
at Corinth (5-9).
1. The questions that were designed to make them think: "What
then is Apollos? and what is Paul?" They knew, of course,
who they were, but they needed to be reminded of what they
were.
2. The answer to the question:
a) As to the church, they were ministers (literally, deacons)
through whom they had believed on Christ.
b) As to the Lord, each was doing the task the Lord gave to
him: Paul planted, Apollos watered.
c) As to God, it was He who gave the increase.
d) As to each other, they are one thing, that is, servants of
46
CHAPTER THREE
God. Each of them shall receive his own reward according
to his own labor. This dispels any notion that Paul or
Apollos approved their saying, "I belong to Paul," or "I
belong to Apollos."
3. A summary of these relationships shows the reason for what
he has just said ( 9 ) .
a) Paul and Apollos are fellow-workers who belong to God.
b) The church at Corinth is God's field to be cultivated and
God's building which He builds through His servants, one
of whom lays the foundation (Paul) and another (such as
Apollos ) builds on it.
He calls their attention to a very significant fact: The church is
the temple of God (10-17).
1. Laying the foundation and building on it (10-11).
a ) As a wise master builder, Paul laid the foundation. He did
this by preaching the word of the cross.
b) Another (such as Apollos or some other faithful teacher
of the Word) builds on the foundation.
c) A word of caution to each who builds on the foundation:
( 1 ) "Let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon."
(2) The reason for the warning: There is no problem
about laying the foundation, for that foundation is
Christ; there is no other. The problem had to do with
the kind of disciples each teacher had.
2. Paul explains what he has just said about building on the
foundation (12-15).
a) There are two kinds of building materials: gold, silver,
costly stones; and wood, hay, stubble. One is fire-proof;
the other will burn. These building materials represent the
disciples that teachers like Apollos will have — some will
be faithful, some will not.
b) The test that will show which one of these two classes will
represent each man's work will be:
( 1 ) The day in which each man's disciples face the trials
of the Christian life.
( 2 ) The trials are like fire that can destroy the wood, hay,
and stubble; but not the gold, silver, and costly
stones.
( 3 ) The fiery trials will show just what sort each teacher's
work is, that is, whether his pupils will stand the
test or fail.
47
I CORINTHIANS
c) The effect of the tesult of these trials on the teacher (faith-
ful men like Apollos ) .
(1) If his works remains, that is, if his disciples prove
faithful, he will receive the reward of work well
done. That will be the joy of seeing those whom he
taught remaining faithful to the Lord.
( 2 ) If any man's work burns, that is, if his disciples fail in
the fiery trials of the Christian life, the teacher suf-
fers loss. His effort is wasted; he has only grief over
those who did not remain faithful to the Lord.
( 3 ) The teacher, that is, the faithful one like Apollos who
teaches the truth of the gospel, shall be saved. If he
is faithful, he does not go down with his unfaithful
disciples. But he has to endure the same tests in his
life as a Christian that his disciples face, that is, "as
through fire."
3. Paul asks the question that compels the Corinthians to see that
all this applies to them (16).
a) The two-fold question: Don't you know that you are God's
temple? Don't you know that God's Spirit dwells in you?
4. Then he points out the fate of the one who destroys God's
temple, the church ( 17 ) .
a) God will destroy that one.
b) He will do so because God's temple is holy, and "such
(that is, holy persons) are ye."
D. His earnest exhortation (3:18-23).
1. Let no man deceive himself about the question of wisdom
(18-20).
a) This is directed to the one who thinks he is wise in this
age: Let him become a fool, that he may become wise, that
is, let him accept the wisdom God has revealed through
the inspired apostles and prophets.
b) The wisdom of this world, that is, of the people who live
in it, is foolishness with God. He is able to cope with their
craftiness; the Lord knows their reasonings are vain.
2. Let no one glory in men (21-23 ) .
a) The reason for this exhortation: "All things are yours."
b) This includes:
(1) Men in whom they were boasting, whether Paul,
Apollos, or Cephas.
48
CHAPTER THREE 3:1
(2 ) The world with its supposed wisdom.
(2) Life and death.
(4 ) Things present and things to come,
c) A most important matter which they were evidently for-
getting: "You are Christ's, and Christ is God's."
His Spiritually Immature Converts (1-4)
Text
3:1-4, And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual,
but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not
with meat; for ye were not yet able to bear it: nay, not even now are
ye able; 3 for ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you
jealousy and strife, are ye not carnal, and do ye not walk after the
manner of men? 4 For when one saith, I am of Paul; and another,
I am of Apollos; are ye not men?
Commentary
And I brethren. — Paul continues his rebuke of the sin of division.
When he was at Corinth, he found some who were more interested
in their own wisdom than in the word of the cross. Some of his con-
verts were spiritually immature. They were divided over loyalties to
men. They had evidently failed to heed the plain message of God's
wisdom which Paul preached to them. But he calls them "brethren"
for they were in Christ even though they were only "babes" so far as
development was concerned.
not spiritual, but carnal.— '"Spiritual" implies inadequate appreciation
of what it means to be a new creature in Christ (II Cor. 5:17). It is
not to be equated with mere emotionalism. It begins with an intelli-
gent grasp of the facts of the gospel as proclaimed by the inspired
apostles. It is conviction and determination to act in accord with the
teaching of Christ. It also implies the stirring of the deepest emotions
of which the human heart is capable, that is, Christian love, joy, and
peace. See Rom. 14: 17.
"Carnal" in this context refers not to the man of the world but to
the spiritually immature "babes in Christ." There are two words trans-
lated "carnal" in this section. In verse two, the word means "made of
flesh." In verse three, it means "belonging to flesh." The distinction
is interesting. Think of Christians who should live in the realm of
spirit being made of flesh and belonging to flesh. This was the result
of following the teaching of men rather than the word of the cross.
49
3:1 I CORINTHIANS
Neither of these terms 'suggests the depravity of human nature in-
herited from Adam. Both "made of flesh" and "belonging to flesh"
are used with reference to the state of arrested, development which
characterized those who failed to make progress in the Christian life.
A similar situation is described in Heb. 5:11-6:8. Some had been
Christians long enough that they should have become teachers, but
they needed some one to teach them the A B C's of the gospel. They
were like babes who had to be fed on milk, not solid food. They were
without experience in the word of righteousness. There is solid food
in the gospel for the mature Christian, but the people at Corinth
were not able to appreciate it.
In chapter two Paul contrasts "the natural man" with "the one who
is spiritual." The context shows that this distinction referred to the
uninspired man in contrast to the inspired apostles. In chapter three,
however, the contrast is between the one who belongs to flesh and the
one who is spiritually mature. It is the contrast between arrested de-
velopment arid normal growth in Christians. To equate "carnal" with
"natural" and to assume that all men by nature are incapable of re-
sponding to the teaching of the Holy Spirit which was revealed
thrdugh the apostles is to completely ignore the context in which the
two terms are found. '
Paul proves his charge that they are carnal by reminding them of
their jealousy and strife.. This is the very opposite of love which, if
followed, will overcome strife, faction, division, pride, and jealousy
inthechurch (I Cor.' 13:1-13).
babes in C^m^.-^rAccordirtg to Heb. 5 : 13, the one who is inexperi-
enced' in the word of righteousness is a babe. He is the one who is
fed on milk, that is, who is to be taught the elementary things of the
gospel. Solid food is for the mature Christian. It includes such things
as the teaching about Christ our high priest; the necessity of pressing
on to perfection; the issues of faith, repentance, and the possession
of the promises of God. See Heb. 6:1-12.
Every new Christian is in a sense, a babe in Christ. Some, of
course, begin this experience with greater understanding and appre-
ciation of what it means than others. But all start with the basic ele-
ments of the gospel — belief in Christ based on the resurrection (Rom.
10:9-10); a determination to forsake sin and to live for Christ (re-
pentance); entering into the agreement with Christ to acknowledge
Him as prophet, priest ! , and king (the good confession); and, as the
culminating act of being born into the family of God, being im-
mersed in water in the name of Christ for the remission of sins (bap-
50
CHAPTER THREE 3:1,2
tism ) . How well one grasps the significance of these things may well
determine the rate of his spiritual growth in Christ.
The writer of Hebrews chides his readers for still being babes when
they had been Christians long enough to have become teachers. Al-
though this condition at Corinth had been produced by jealousy and
strife, it is possible that some spiritual immaturity today may arise
from other causes. It may be produced by a failure to provide an ade-
quate program of Bible instruction for the whole church. It may be
the result of indifference and lack of a real desire to know the rich
things of the Word. Too often people have assumed that all the Bible
should be as simple as kindergarten lessons. If that were true, it is
doubtful if there would ever be such a thing as a fullgrown Christian,
Probably one of the greatest causes of spiritual immaturity is the fail-
ure of the leadership in the church to provide opportunities for all
to share in the Lord's work. Merely attending worship services and
training classes will never do it. Each one, if he is to become a ma-
ture servant of the Lord, must be led to share in spreading the gospel
by at least making friendly, Christian calls that will demonstrate that
the church is interested in others. The very finest of diet without exer-
cise will produce weaklings. There is a crying need today for pro-
grams that will help people take an active part in spreading the
gospel. The usual Sunday morning scolding which the church receives
for not doing this will only make the situation worse. Those who can
make calls should take the inexperienced along until they too have
learned the value and blessing of actually doing something for the
Lord. Putting money into the church treasury to hire a paid caller
won't accomplish the desired end. There are millions of Christians
who have never been directly responsible for the conversion of one
soul to Christ. I believe this is largely because they have not been
shown how and what to do. It will take some organization, planning,
and specific information about when, where, why, and on whom the
calls are to be made. With adequate Bible teaching and actual work
in sharing the gospel with others, there is no reason why churches
cannot be filled with mature Christians.
not yet able, — It was bad enough that Paul encountered them as spir-
itual dwarfs; it is a worse tragedy that they remained like that. In
view of what is said about them in First Corinthians, it would be nec-
essary for them to get rid of their divisions, immorality, lawsuits be-
fore pagan judges, factions that prevented them having the Lord's
supper, and all other things contrary to the gospel before they could
be looked upon as mature in Christ.
51
3:4,5 I CORINTHIANS
I am of Paul.^-Iti spite of all the effort Paul made tb exalt Christ, it-
is strange that some were saying, "I belong to Paul." This is the sort
of thing that one would expect in the realm of politics, not the
church. But because these things were present, the apostle asks, "Are
ye not men?" Evidently the Christian who has God's revealed wis-
dom in the Bible should stop conducting himself according to the
standards of men. If they were Christians of the sort they should be.'
that is, proving by their lives that they really belonged to Christ, they*
would be "glorifying God in the body" (I Cor. 6:20) .
The Relation of Paul and Apollos to the Church (5-9) ■
Text
3:5-9. What then is Apollos? and what is Paul? Ministers through
whom ye believed; and each as the Lord gave to him. 6 I planted,
Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he
that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth
the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one:
but each shall receive his own reward according to his own labor.
9 For we are God's fellow- workers: ye are God's husbandry, God's
building.
Commentary
What then is Apollos?— The Corinthians had made men (Apollos
and Paul are mentioned to illustrate the point) heads of the parties
that divided the church. But what had God intended men to be in re-
lation to His church? "Ministers through whom ye believed." There
is no possible suggestion in this term that God approved the claim of
the Corinthians to belong to Apollos or to Paul or to any other man.
The human tendency is to strive for greatness by exalting one man
above another. Christ, however, showed that the way to true greatness
is the way of humility and service. He said, "the Son of man came
not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ran-
som for many" (Mk. 10:45). The word which He uses in this state-
ment is the verb form of the word deacon. For Paul and Apollos to
be called ministers or deacons of Christ was all the honor a faithful
servant of Christ could ask for. Brethren expresses the relation be-
tween members of the church; deacon expresses the relation to Christ
of those who are engaged in performing a service under His direction.
It should be noted that Apollos who was not an apostle was called
52
CHAPTER THREE 3:5-9
a minister (deacon) just as Paul was. The tendency of some to make
a distinction of rank between the elder and the deacon violates this
principle. Both of these terms refer to functions to be performed un-
der the Lord and not to rank. Note that the apostle Peter, in address-
ing the elders, calls himself a fellow-elder (I. Pet. 5:1).
God gave the increase,— As God servants, men are under obligation
to do His will, but it is God who gives the increase to their efforts.
God gives the increase when the Word is planted by faithful preach-
ing and teaching. Paul, who first preached the gospel at Corinth, is
likened to the one who sows the seed. Apollos, who followed him and
taught the new converts, is likened to the one who did the irrigating.
Each did the work the Lord gave him to do, and God gave the in-
crease. There is, therefore, no occasion for strife, jealousy, and division
over any man. Let the glory be given to God; let Christ and His Word
be exalted in the church; then will the sin of division that is causing
the church to be like "babes in Christ" be overcome.
Now he that planteth and he that tvatereth are one, — That is, they
are one thing: ministers or deacons of Christ. And as ministers, each
is to receive the reward for faithfulness to the Lord.
For we are God's fellow-workers, — Paul and Apollos were fellow-
workers who belonged to God. Since they were partners, there was
no reason for anyone to say, "I belong to Paul" or "I belong to
Apollos."
ye are God's husbandry, God's building, — The field and the building
are God's. The church belongs to God, not men. Since the workers
also belong to God, why divide the church over them?
The Church is the Temple of God (10-17)
Text
3:10-17. According to the grace of God which was given unto me,
as a wise masterbuilder I laid a foundation; and another buildeth
thereon. But let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon. 1 1 For
other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is
Jesus Christ. 12 But if any man buildeth on the foundation gold,
silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 each man's work shall be
made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in
fire; and the fire itself shall prove each man's work of what sort it is.
14 If any man's work shall abide which he built thereon, he shall re-
ceive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer
loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire. 16 Know
53
3:10,11 I CORINTHIANS
ye not that ye are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwell-
eth in you? 17 If any man destroyeth the temple, of God, him shall
God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, and such are ye. ".
Commentary '
According to the grace of God.- — Paul looked upon his ministry as a|
favor God had extended to him. His attitude was one of humility!
His example would have helped the church to see the error of dividi
ing the body of Christ through exalting one leader above another^
a wise masterbuilder. — Paul had spoken of himself in relation to the
church as a minister (deacon) of Christ. In 4:15, he refers to.
himself as a teacher and father. The figure of masterbuilder' fits this
context since the church is presented as a temple. But he is a wise
masterbuilder. As the apostle of Christ, he spoke the revealed wisdom
of God rather than the wisdom of men. The foundation of the temple
of God could not be laid in any other way, for it was God who was
building the church through His workers.
I laid a foundation.— The Corinthians are reminded that the founda-
tion of their Christian life was laid by one who knew how -to lay a
proper foundation, Their spiritual immaturity could not be blamed
on the foundation or the one who laid it. Paul laid the foundation by
preaching Christ and Him crucified (2:2); by showing that it was
necessary to believe the word of the cross in order to be saved
(1:21); by instructing the believer to.be baptized, not in his but in
the name of Christ ( T: 14; 10: 1-2; 12:13).
another buildeih thereon. — This is a reference to Apollos and other
faithful teachers like him who instructed the new converts at Corinth.
It has nothing to do with false teachers or to building on a false
foundation.
let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon. — It was just as im-
portant for the builder of the superstructure to exercise every care in
his work as it was for the one who laid the foundation. The founda-
tion that Paul laid was the true foundation. That, however, did not
guarantee the success of the building that was to be erected upon it.
Consequently, the apostle warns other faithful teachers to take heed
as to kind of building materials ( disciples ) they use.
foundation . . .is Jesus Christ. — The temple of God can have only
one foundation, Jesus Christ. The rock upon which Jesus said He
would build His church is the truth that He is the Christ, the Son of
54
CHAPTER THREE 3:12,13
the living God. Peter's own statement should be considered when in-
terpreting what Jesus said to him (Matt. 16:18). He speaks of the
Lord as "a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God, elect,
precious" (I Peter 2:4-8). See also Isa. 28:16 and Psa. 118:22 from
which Peter quotes. In the light of these remarks, k is difficult to see
how Peter could be considered as the foundation of the church. The
reference to the foundation of the apostles and prophets in Eph. 2:20
is to the foundation which they laid by preaching the Word.
gold, silver, costly stones; wood, hay, stubble. — These are the two
classes of building materials. One is fireproof, the other will burn;
one is costly, the other is relatively inexpensive. The point of the
apostles' concern, however, is their ability to withstand fire. These
building materials represent two classes of disciples a teacher may
have. Some are like fireproof materials for they will withstand the
fiery trials through which they are to pass. Others are like wood that
can be destroyed by fire. They will not stand the trials that come upon
them to prove them (I Pet. 4:12-13).
the day will declare it. — Of course, each one will face the Day of
Judgment and give account of the deeds done in the body (II Cor.
5:10). But in all probability, the day to which Paul is referring is the
Christian life with its fiery trials. In Paul's time, many were called
upon to give their lives for their faith in Christ. Some were burned
at the stake; some were tortured to death; some fought with wild
beasts in the arena to the amusement of heartless spectators. The an-
cient martyrs, of course, were not the only ones to face persecution
for the sake of Christ. The test that comes to most Christians today
is the test, not of dying, but of living for Christ. We are reminded
of the trials of Israel in the wilderness that caused many of them to
fail to enter the Promised Land (I Cor. 10:5-10). For a list of the
sufferings of Paul, see II Cor. 11:24-28 and I Cor. 4:9-13.
the fire will prove each man's work. — The trials of the Christian life
will demonstrate what sort the teacher's disciples are. Will they be
destroyed like wood, hay and stubble, or will they withstand the fiery
trials like gold, silver and costly stones? This was the problem at
Corinth. The foundation had been laid by Paul. Apollos and others
like him had continued to instruct the new converts. But they had
not grown to maturity; they were filled with jealousy and strife; they
were a disappointment to their teachers; they were not standing the
test.
if any man's work shall abide. — The task of the faithful teacher is not
55
3:14,15 I CORINTHIANS
completely discouraging. Apollos and others like him could look with,
confidence to the faithful endurance of trials by some of those who,
had been instructed in the gospel by them.
God's Word is complete in matters pertaining to life and godliness
(II Pet. 1:3). It tells how to become a Christian and how to live the
Christian life. It furnishes the Christian with "the whole armor of
God" that he may be abie^to stand against the wiles of the devi}
(Eph. 6:11). It equips him with the shield of faith with which he is
able to "quench all the fiery darts of the evil one" (Eph. 6; 16). Paul
warns against overcOnfidence, but he- also shows that the way of es 7
cape has been provided that the man of faith may be able to endure
the trials of the Christian life (I Cor. 10:12-13). Peter points out the
course to follow to make sure of entering the eternal kingdom of pur
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ( II Pet. 1:5-11).
he shall receive a reward.. — The reward that the faithful teacher re-
ceives is the joy of knowing that he has been faithful to the Lord and
the joy of seeing those whom he has instructed serving Christ, re-
maining true to Him through the trials of life (Phil. 4:1 ).
if. anym.an's work shall be burned. — Even faithful teachers cannot be
sure that those whom they instruct will withstand the "fiery trials."
Jesus faced this in His iministry. Judas betrayed Him; Peter denied
Him. At one time, the crowds who had been fed on the loaves and
fishes deserted Him to such an extent that He said to the apostles who
remained with Him, "You wouldn't go away also, would you?" (John
6:66-69) Paul wrote with an evident note of sadness of Demas who
had forsaken him because he loved this present age (II Tim. 4:10).
The writer of Hebrews warns of the peril of those who were once en-
lightened and then fell away (Heb. 6:4-8).
he shall suffer loss. — The teacher should do everything possible to
help those whom he instructs to stand the trials of the Christian life.
Nothing short of declaring "the whole counsel of God" will accom-
plish this (Acts 20:27).
Perhaps teachers should ask themselves if they are like the father
Jesus mentioned who, when his son asked for bread, gave him a stone
(Matt. 7:9-10). But the teacher will suffer loss if the pupils fail.
That loss may be the grief over the unfaithful one as opposed to the
joy over those who remain true; it may be the loss of time and effort
that could have been spent on others who might have responded
more favorably. It is a hard thing for a teacher to know when to ap-
ply the rule Jesus gave when He said, "Give not that which is holy
56
CHAPTER THREE 3:15,16
unto the dogs; neither cast your pearls before swine, lest haply they
trample them under foot and turn and rend you" (Matt, 7:6).
he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire, — The teacher's own
his own faithfulness to Christ. He too faces trials and hardships, dis-
salvation does not depend on the faithfulness of his disciples,, but on
couragements and heartaches. Thus he is to be "saved as through fire"
just as anyone else.
ye are a temple of God. — All that the apostle had said about builders,
foundations, and buildings is suddenly focused on the Corinthians
themselves. "Don't you know that you are God's temple?" Evidently
they were not aware of it. The church to them was more like an or-
dinary political assembly. They had failed to see that it was the as-
sembly of those who had been called out of the world of sinners by
the preaching of the gospel to enjoy the rights and privileges of free
citizens of the kingdom of heaven. How could they have missed this
when they had been taught the revealed wisdom of God by His in-
spired apostle? But they did.
This rebuke is probably the strongest blow the apostle strikes
against the sin of division. What an awful thing that they should
desecrate the spiritual temple of God! The desecration of the Jew's
temple by Antiochus Epiphanes is one of the outstanding atrocities
visited upon ancient Israel. See I Mac. 1:1-64. This pagan ruler dared
to change the laws of God pertaining to worship and sacrifice. It was
especially insulting to the Jews and to their God for him to order
them to use swine's flesh in their sacrifices. The cleansing and rededi-
cation of the temple following this incident was commemorated by
the Jews in the feast of dedication (John 10:22).
At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus went to Jerusalem for the
passover feast. There He found that men had turned the sacred area
of the temple into a place of merchandise (John 2; 13-16). He
cleansed the temple and reminded the people that they were not to
make His Father's house a house of merchandise. But in three short
years it had again been put to the same use. Jesus cleansed the temple
again and said to the money-changers, "It is written, My house shall
be called a house of prayer" (Matt. 21 : 12-12 ) .
Wicked as all these sinful deeds were, they did not compare with
the sin of division that was destroying God's temple, the church. The
solution to the problem of division in Corinth begins with the correct
view of the church as God's temple. Paul speaks of it as the temple
where the Spirit of God dwells. To profane this temple is to deserve
the destruction that will surely come to the guilty ones.
57
3:16,17 I CORINTHIANS
the Spirit of God dwells in you, — It will help us to understand this
expression if we look at the camp of Israel with the tabernacle in its
midst. The tabernacle was called the "tent of meeting" because God
met His people there, and through His appointed servant, Moses, He
spoke to them, giving direction for conduct that would let the nationk
about them know that He was the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and oi
Israel. The ark of the covenant which was kept in the holy of holie's
further emphasizes the presence of God in the midst of His people".
Within the ark, among other things, the tables of the law were kept'.
Through the law Israel was taught that they should love God with all
the heart, soul, and mind, and that they should also love their neigh-
bors as themselves (Matt. 22:37-40).
When Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem that took the place 1
of the tabernacle, he made it a thing of splendor, fitting, within the
limits of human endeavor, as a house of God. But long after that,
Stephen said, "Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in houses made
with hands" for "heaven is His throne and the earth His footstool"
(Acts 7:48-49).
The church that honors God by exalting Christ; that obeys His
Word rather than the doctrines of men; that is transformed by the
renewing of the mind so that the members approve the will of God,
the thing that is good, complete, and acceptable to Him (Rom.
1.2:1-2) can truly say that God is in its midst. See comment on
6:19-20 where the body of the believer is called the temple of the
Holy Spirit.
If any man destroy eth the temple of God.— In a. sense, the church
cannot be destroyed because, it is divine. Paul said he made havoc of
the church, that is, he was attempting to do so by persecuting the
church (Gal. 1:13). But it is true that the effectiveness of the church
can be destroyed by the sin of division. The sin of division dishonors
Christ, the head of the church; it dims the glory of the church, the
bride of Christ; it tends to neutralize the message of the church, the
gospel of Christ; it weakens the believers who are members of the
body of Christ.
him shall God destroy. — For the fate of the Israelites who displeased
God, see I Cor. 10:5-10. For the fate of those who trample under
foot the Son of God, see Heb. 10:28-31. For the punishment of the
sin of Nadab and Abihu, see Lev. 10:1-3. For the punishment of Uz-
zah who acted with every good intention when he touched the ark in
violation of God's law, see II Sam. 6:6-7. For the story of Uzziah the
presumptious king who understook to perform the task of the priest
58
CHAPTER THREE 3:17,18
contrary to God's law and was punished by being stricken with lep-
rosy unto the day of his death, see II Chron. 26: 16-21.
Paul declares that God will destroy those who attempt to destroy
His temple, the church. This should make the promoters of division
stop and think. God has never permitted man to desecrate holy things
and go unpunished.
"such are ye, — What an exalted view of the church this is — ye are the
temple of God! But how could the apostle refer to people who were
so far from the ideal of Christ as the temple of God? Perhaps it was
to remind them of what God intended them to be, that is, new crea-
tures washed in the blood of Christ (I Cor. 6:11). Perhaps it also
expressed the hope of the apostle that they would respond to the in-
struction for overcoming their spiritual immaturity.
As to a practical application of this important point, think of the
church today with its many divisions often warring against each other
rather than carrying on the "good fight of the faith" (I Tim. 6:12).
But concerned men are doing much to lead the church toward the
goal for which Christ prayed when all who believe on Him through
the word of the apostles may be one ("John 17:21). Men who have
caught the vision of the church as the temple of God are pleading for
the restoration of the church that is described in the New Testament
in its doctrine, its ordinances, and in its life. A return to "the sim-
plicity and the purity that is toward Christ" (II Cor. 11:3) would
present the church, even today, as the glorious church Christ intended
it to be.
The Apostles Earnest Exhortation ( 3 : 18-23 )
Text
3:18-23. let no man deceive himself. If any man thinketh that he
is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may
become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with
God. For it is written, He that taketh the wise in their craftiness:
20 and again, The Lord knoweth the reasonings of the wise, that they
are in vain. 21 Wherefore let no one glory in men. For all things are
yours; 22 whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life,
or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; 23 and
ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.
Commentary
Let no man deceive himself, — The rebuke for the sin of division has
been clearly stated. The remedy for the condition is apparent: Make
59
3:18-23 I CORINTHIANS
the church what God intended it to be, His holy temple wherein
dwells His Spirit.
This appeal is three-fold: ( 1 ) "Let no man deceive himself" ( 18) ;
(2) "Let no one glory in men" (21); and (3) "Let a man account
of as ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God"
(4:1).
The first is an appeal for clear thinking about the world's wisdom
iii contrast to the message of the cross. The word of the cross is wis*
dom for the mature. God is able to adequately cope with the clever-
ness of the crafty, worldly-wise man. God knows the futility of the
thoughts of men when compared with His thoughts.
all things are yours.— -This is the reason for the second appeal: "Let
no one glory in men." Some had been saying, "I belong to Paul,"
others, "I belong to Cephas." But the truth was that Paul and Apol-
los and Cephas were theirs, that is, they were their ministers through
whom they had believed (3:5). But more than that, the world was
theirs too. God created it for man and placed in it all the things need-
ful for his welfare. The world was theirs as their sphere of activity
for God, not a thing to conquer them and make them slaves of sin.
Even life and death belonged to them. Life was theirs to be lived for
Christ,' not to be wasted in endless discussions of man's wisdom and
the sinful practices that grew out of them. To the Christian, the apos-
tle said, "Death is yours." It is true that he calls death an enemy to be
abolished (I Cor. 15:26); But death belongs to the Christian as a
means of release from the trials of life and of entrance into the pres-
ence of Christ (Phil. 1:21; II Cor. 4:16-5:1). Both the present and
the future are yours in which to serve Christ and praise Him. The
apostle rebukes those who had been practicing division in the church
and claiming to belong to Paul or Apollos. To whom did they be-
long? "Ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's." Thus the word of God
presents the solution to the problem of division.
Summary .
The Corinthians were more interested in their own wisdom than in
the wisdom of God. They looked upon the message of the cross as
foolishness. It is not surprising that some of Paul's converts failed to
reach spiritual maturity.
When he was with them, he had spoken to them about the elemen-
tary things of the gospel because they were not able to appreciate the
things that belong to the mature Christian life. Even as he was writ-
ing to them, he realized that they were still unable. His teaching
had been like milk for those whom he calls "babes in Christ." Some
60
CHAPTER THREE
of them were saying, "I belong to Paul" and "I belong to Apollos."
Their jealousy and strife clearly shows that they were acting as men
and not as new creatures in Christ.
Paul turns now to the corrective measures that were designed to lift
the church out of this condition. There are three steps in his plan to
correct the sin of division. The first step shows the correct relation-
ship leaders to the church. The apostle asks, "What is Paul and
what is Apollos?" "They are ministers through whom you believed."
They are not masters; they are not heads of political groups; they are
the Lord's servants performing a task for the sake of His Body, the
church. They were fellow-workers who belonged to God. Their task
was to work in God's field and to build God's building.
The second step in the apostles' plan to overcome division is this:
The church is the temple of God. Leaders, of course, have their place
in relation to the temple. Paul says, "I laid a foundation and another
built on it." After he had started the work at Corinth, another teacher
such as Apollos had followed him. His task was to instruct the new
converts. He was building on the foundation Paul had laid. That
foundation was Christ; there could be no other foundation for the
temple of God.
Paul solemnly warns the teachers to exercise care as to the kind of
disciples they may teach. This is not a warning to false teachers, but
to faithful teachers like Apollos who built on the foundation which
Paul had laid. Some of their disciples would be like goid, silver, and
precious stones. They would stand the fiery trials of the Christian life.
Others would be like wood, hay, and stubble. They would be de-
stroyed in the same fiery trials, and the teacher would lose the reward
for his efforts. These are the carnal, factious, jealous ones who re-
mained as "babes" when they should have been mature Christians.
The faithful teacher does not share the fate of those who refuse to
heed his message of truth, that is, if he conforms to the gospel stand-
ard of character and conduct.
After discussing the relation of the leaders to the church as the
the temple of God, Paul reminds the brethren that they are the tem-
ple of God. Its sacredness is indicated by the fact that the Spirit of
God dwells in His temple. Paul warns that God will destroy anyone,
leader or follower, who through faction or division or other sin, de-
stroys God's temple.
A third corrective step is given in the closing exhortation of the
chapter: Avoid being deceived by leaders and their pretended wis-
dom. Those who think they are wise are urged to become fools by
61
1 CORINTHfANS
rejecting their own wisdom and accepting the word of the cross. Let
no one boast in men, for all things belong to the faithful Christian.
Instead of saying, "I am of Paul" or "I am of Cephas," they ate to
remember that Paul and Apollos and Cephas belong to them as the
Lord's servants through whom they believed. The world is theirs, for
God made it to be used by His people and not that they should be-
come slaves of the world of sin. Even life and death are theirs. But
(and here is a thing they were forgetting) they belong to Christ, and
Christ to God.
Questions
1. Why does Paul address his readers as "brethren" since he calls
them "carnal"?
2. What does he mean by "carnal"?
3; With what does he contrast "carnal" in this context?
4. What is meant by "spiritual"?
5. How does his use of "spiritual" in this chapter differ from his
use of this term in chapter two? To whom does it refer in each
case?
6. What is implied by the expression "babes in Christ"?
7. How was Paul forced to conclude that they were "babes"?
8. What is meant by "milk" and "meat" in this connection?
9. What is the mark of spiritual maturity?
10. How long should the "brethren" remain as "babes in Christ"?
11. What is the mark of the carnal Christian?
12. How does Paul's use of "carnal" differ from his use of "natural"
in chapter two?
13. What does it mean "to walk after the manner of men"?
14. What does Paul mean by the question, "are ye not men"?
15. What was the relation of Paul and Apollos to the Corinthians?
16. What is the word that is translated "minister" in this connection?
17. What bearing does this have on the party spirit in Corinth?
18. What division of labor did Paul and Apollos observe?
19. What was the important thing to remember about their efforts?
20. What is meant by statement, "he that planteth and he that wa-
tered* are one"? '...-.-..
21. What is meant by the statement, "we are God's fellow-workers"?
22. What bearing does the remark, "ye are God's husbandry (tilled
field) and God's building," have on the problem of division?
23. To what did Paul attribute the privilege he had of serving as an
apostle of Christ?
62
CHAPTER THREE
24. What qualification did he have to work in connection with God's
building?
25. How did Paul lay the foundation?
26. What is the foundation of the church?
27. How does this correct the problem of division in Corinth?
28. What evidence is there to show that Jesus Christ is the only pos-
sible foundation of the church?
29. To whom does Paul refer when he says, "another buildeth
thereon"?
30. Why the warning about building on the foundation Paul laid?
31. What are the two classes of building materials and their
characteristics?
32. What has this to do with the warning to the teachers?
33. What is the day that shows what sort each man's work is?
34. In what ways was the early Christian's faith tried?
35. What are some things which try one's faith today?
36. What is the relation of the day of trial to the Day of Judgment?
37. Why does Paul speak of fire as that which will' show what sort
each man's work is?
38. When he refers to "each man's work" is he speaking of the
teacher or of his disciple?
39- On what foundation is this work built?
40. How long must it abide for him to receive a reward?
41. What is the reward of the faithful teacher?
42. Why may the faithful teacher suffer loss?
43. What will that loss be?
44. How can he be saved if his work is burned?
45. What is meant by the remark, "as through fire"?
46. Why does Paul ask, "Know ye not that ye are a temple of God?"
47. What are some of the facts of the history of the Jewish temple?
48. How does this help to understand that God dwells in the temple,
His church?
49. What were the Corinthians doing that was destroying the temple
of God?
50. What is the history of the desecration of the Jewish temple, and
how did that compare with what the Corinthians were doing to
the church?
51. What are the characteristics of the church of which it may be
said, "the Spirit of God dwells in you"?
52. What is the fate of the one who destroys the temple of God?
63
I CORINTHIANS
53. How could Paul say to the church at Corinth, "The temple of
God is holy, and such are ye"?
54. Why did Paul say, "Let no man deceive himself" (3:18)?
55. How is one to become wise?
56. What is God's view of the wisdom of the world?
57. Why did Paul say, "Let no one glory in men" (3:21)?
58. In what sense did Paul, Apollos, and Cephas belong to the
Corinthians?
59. What bearing did this have on the problem of division?
60. What important relationship were they missing by practicing
division?
For Discussion
1. What are some of the causes of spiritual immaturity in the
churches today?
2. What can you suggest as a practical remedy for lack of spiritual
growth?
64
CHAPTER FOUR
Analysis
A. Paul pleads for a correct attitude toward the apostles (1-5).
1. He aslcs that they be looked upon as (1) servants, that is, as-
sistants who serve their Master, Christ; and (2) stewards, that
is, administrators of the mysteries of God — His revealed wis-
dom (1).
2. He shows that the one thing required of a steward is that he
be found faithful to his master ( 2 ) .
3. He indicates the correct standard by which the Lord's servants
are judged (3-4).
a) He is not concerned about the Corinthians passing on his
his qualifications to be an apostle or about human stand-
ards which they may use.
b) He does not pass on his own qualfiications.
c) It is the Lord who examines and approves His servants.
(1) Paul does not know anything against himself, but
this has no bearing on his appointment as an apostle.
(2) The one who passes on his qualifications and approves
him as an apostle is the Lord.
4. He points out the necessity of refraining from passing judg-
ment (5).
a) Stop passing judgment before the time of judgment, that
is, before the Lord comes.
b) He tells what the Lord will do in the matter when He
comes.
( 1 ) He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness.
(2) He will make manifest the counsels of the hearts.
(3) When this is done, the praise that may come to each
one will be from God, not man.
B. Paul gives his readers a much needed lesson on humility (6-13).
1. He explains why he has been using his name and that of
Apollos (6-7).
a) It was for their sakes — probably to spare them the em-
barrassment of being mentioned by their names.
b) By so doing, he wanted them to learn not to go beyond
the things which are written, that is, the things of the Old
Testament which he has just quoted in the epistle against
pride and arrogance of men.
65
I CORINTHIANS
c ) His purpose was to keep one from favoring a certain leader
and being puffed up against another.
2. He raises questions that emphasize the lesson (7).
a) Who made you to differ, that is, in possession of gifts, in
responsibilities, or in other matters?
b) What do you have that you did not receive?
c) Then he asks the question that brings the first two to bear
on the problem: If you received them, why boast as though
you didn't, that is, as though they were yours in your own
right?
3. He reveals their lack of humility (8-13).
a) As to the Corinthians, he ironically says, "You are already
filled (having partaken of heaven's banquet); already you
are rich (having received heaven's riches); already you
have come to reign (in heaven with life's battles over).
b) As to himself, he expresses his fervent wish (1) that this
were really true of them, and (2) that the apostles were
also rejoicing with them in heaven.
c) As to the apostles, he shows what was happening to them
for Christ's sake.
( 1 ) God had set them forth as men doomed to death.
(2) They were a spectacle to the world for men and
angels to behold.
d) He emphasizes the lesson by pointing out the contrast be-
tween the apostles and the Corinthians ( 10) .
- ( 1 ) The apostles are fools for Christ's sake, but the Corin-
thians are wise in Christ.
(2) The apostles are weak, but the Corinthians are strong.
(3) The Corinthians have glory, but the apostles have
dishonor.
e) He shows what the apostles suffer and how they react to
trials (11-13).
( 1 ) They are hungry, thirsty, persecuted, unsettled, and
have to toil with their hands for a living.
(2) Being insulted, they bless; persecuted, they endure;
defamed, they console; they are like refuse or the off-
scouring of all things.
Paul admonishes the Corinthians as beloved children (14-21).
1. His purpose in writing is not to shame them but to admonish
them (14).
2. He is their father in the gospel even though they may claim
66
CHAPTER FOUR 4:1
ten thousand tutors, And because he is their father, he urges
them to imitate him ( 15-16) .
3. He explains why he sent Timothy to them ( 17 ) .
a) Timothy is his beloved and faithful child in the Lord.
b) Timothy was to tell them of Paul's ways in Christ as he
taught in every church.
4, He tells them of his proposed journey to Corinth (19-20).
a) Some were puffed up, saying he would not come.
b) He assures them that he will come if the Lord will.
c) When he does, he will know about the arogant ones, that
is, he will find out not just what they are saying, but what
they really are.
d) He explains this attitude: The kingdom of God is not in
word, but in power.
e) A serious question about his coming visit; Shall I come to
punish — with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?
Attitude Toward the Apostles ( 1-5 )
Text
4:1-5. Let a man so account of us, as of ministers of Christ, and
stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Here, moreover, it is required in
stewards, that a man be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very
small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment:
yea, I judge not mine own self. 4 For I know nothing against myself;
yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
5 Wherefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who
will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make
manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall each man have
his praise from God.
Commentary
Let a man account of us. — This chapter brings to a close the discus-
sion of the subject of division which had been reported to Paul by
members of the household of Chloe. Up to this point, Paul has men-
tioned the problem of wisdom in contrast to the word of the cross
which was the revealed wisdom of God. He has shown the correct
view of men in relation to the church as a means of overcoming the
party spirit that lay at the root o£ the problem of division. He has
raised the appreciation of all for the things of God by reminding
them that they were the temple of God and that the Spirit of God
was dwelling in them.
67
4:1 CHAPTER FOUR
He now pleads for a correct view of the. apostles as the ones
through whom the Corinthians had believed and who had continued
to instruct them in the Christian life.
He uses a significant word with which all were familiar in present-
ing this plea. "Account" suggests the bookkeeper's term for entries in
his ledger. Paul is suggesting that they enter this in their ledger to his
credit. They are to set it down in their minds so as to make the ac-
counts balance. He is asking them to look upon the apostles in their
relation to this problem in a way that will bring to bear all that has
been said by him upon the subject of division. The use of the plural
pronoun does take in all the inspired teachers, apostles in particular,
as the ones through whom God carried out the project of building the
church and caring for it as one would cultivate his field.
as of ministers of Christ. — The apostles are Christ's servants; they are
not to be thought of as ones to divide the body of Christ. In chapter
3:21-23, Paul has explained that he and Apollos and the other lead-
ers really belong to the church as their servants. There is a sense,
however, in which they also belong to Christ. This is of primary im-
portance in the solution of the problem before them. They were min-
isters (literally, deacons) who were to perform a service for the
church' under the direction of the Lord. He uses another word that is
translated "minister" in this context. It means a subordinate- or an at-
tendant. Originally, it referred to the galley slave who was chained to
his oar. But this idea is not to be read into the New Testament usage.
There it refers to the one who has a subordinate position that re-
quires absolute devotion to his superior. It is the word that describes
the temple guards who were subordinates of the ruling body of the
Jews. Paul considered himself as such a servant of Christ. He is a sub-
ordinate whose sole duty is to please the Lord Jesus Christ. Since the
church is Christ's and the appointed servants are Christ's, there is no .
reason for dividing the church over loyalty to any man. Christ de-
mands absolute priority in the lives not only of teachers but also of
all other members of His body, the church. See Col. 1:18.
and stewards v- — This important word also enforces the lesson of rela-
tionship between teachers and Christ. It means "household servant."
Joseph was such a slave in the house of Potiphar. His task >was to
manage the affairs of his master and to look after his property. He
was strictly accountable to the master for the proper discharge of his
duties. This accurately describes the inspired apostle's relation to
Christ. They were not appointed by men and not accountable to
them. Christ appointed them and equipped them to do the task He
68
I CORINTHIANS 4:1-3
had for them, and He held them accountable as stewards who were
watching over "the mysteries of God."
the mysteries of God. — Arndt and Gingrich in A Greek-English Lexi-
con of the New Testament define "mystery" as a secret. See my com-
ment on 2:6-9. These are not mystical things or mysterious things.
They are those things in God's plan to save the believer m Christ that
would have remained forever hidden to man had not God revealed
them through the inspired apostles and prophets. Essentially then,
the term rerers to the Bible as the revealed will of God. The apostles
were to watch over, guard, and protect that which belonged to God.
Paul's appeal to Timothy emphasizes this important truth: "O Tim-
othy, guard that which is committed unto thee, turning away from
the profane babblings and oppositions of the knowledge which is
falsely so called; which some professing have erred concerning the
faith" (I Tim. 6:20-21).
that a man be found faithful. — This seems to be the most important
qualification of a steward — faithfulness to his master. Jesus' story of
the steward who was accused of wasting his master's goods illustrates
the attitude toward unfaithful servants (Lk. 16:1-20). So far as the
apostles were concerned, their responsibility was that they be faithful
to Christ. They were not to gather men about them for their own
glory and thereby divide and destroy the church. Thus the descriptive
terms that refer to the apostles and the necessity remaining faith-
ful to the Lord all show the wickedness of the divided state of the
church.
that I should be judged of you, — Having laid down the basic princi-
ples that govern his relation to the church and to the Lord, Paul pro-
ceeds to state that it is an inconsequential matter that some: of them
were presuming to pass on his qualifications to be an apostle. The
word for "judge" in this context means to examine one's qualifications
for office. See comment on 2:14-15. The, one who is spiritual, (the in-
spired apostle) is judged (examined as to his fitness for the task) by
no man. Man didn't appoint the apostles of Christ; He did. No man,
therefore, has the right to pass on their fitness for the work Christ had
for them to do. Why then should one say, "I am of Paul," and an-
other, "I am of Cephas"? Who were they to approve one apostle
above another? This is the party spirit that was causing splits in the
church at Corinth. Paul let them know that it was a very small thing
to him that some were attempting to disqualify him as an apostle of
Christ by appealing to human standards or verdicts handed down by
men.
69
4:4,5 I CORINTHIANS
/ judge not mine own self. — That is, Paul did not pass on his own
qualifications to be an apostle, and surely the Corinthians were less
qualified to do so. "Judge" in this context is still the word for passing
on one's qualifications for office.
I know nothing against myself. — This remark, like everything else,
must be taken in the light of its context. Paul is saying that he did
not know anything against himself that would disqualify him as an
apostle. Of course, he knew that at one time he had been a persecutor
of the church. By his conduct, he had insulted God. See I Tim. 1 : 12-
13. He had even consented to the death of Stephen. But this did not
prevent his being appointed to God's service for by God's grace he
had obtained mercy because of his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Je-
sus who appeared to him on the Damascus way appointed him a min-
ister and witness both in the things he had seen and in the things that
would be shown to him (Acts 26:16). He sent Ananias to him say-
ing, "Get up and get yourself baptized and wash away your sins be-
cause you have called on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16).
not hereby justified. — "Justify," "justification," and "righteousness"
are usually used in the New Testament with the meaning that has to
do with God's forgiveness of sin or His looking upon the one who is
justified as being right in His sight because of faith in Christ who
shed His blood for the remission of sins (Rom. 3:21-26). But it may
also be used in its ordinary sense as in this case. Paul is saying, "I
know nothing against myself, but that does not justify me in assuming
that I am qualified to be an apostle of Christ. It is the Lord who
passes on my qualifications and approves me as His apostle."
judge npthing before the time. — This word is accurately rendered
"judge" in this instance. It refers to the act of weighing evidence,
making decisions, and handing down verdicts as a judge on the bench
would do. The Corinthians were doing exactly this thing when they
said, "I am of Paul" or "I am of Apollos." They were not qualified to
do this for they did not have full information and did not know the
hearts of men. This is very similar to Jesus' statement, "Judge not
that ye be not judged" (Matt. 7:1). He was forbidding hypocritical
jtidging. He, of course, made allowance for the fact that men are
capable of recognizing false prophets, for He said, "By their fruits
ye shall know them" (Matt. 7:16). It would seem that by this stand-
ard the Corinthians should have been able to see through the false
teachers who were promoting division in their midst.
In handing down verdicts that glorified one man and dishonored
70
CHAPTER FOUR 4:5,6
another, they were violating another principle, that is, the time God
has set for judgment — the coming of the Lord.
bring to light the hidden things, — All men face the judgment day
before the Lord (Rev. 20:11-15). The one who sits on the throne
knows the hidden things that are in darkness. They may not all be
evil, for that matter, But God who knows the hearts of all men (Acts
1:24) will judge with righteousness. The light of His truth will il-
lumine the secrets of men's hearts and make manifest their plans,
thoughts, and desires (Rom. 2: 16).
then shall each man have his praise from God. — Praise from God!
This should satisfy the need of any man. Why then should they seek
the praise from men and in so doing divide the church of God? "Well
done, good and faithful servant" from God is more than all the praise
from men.
A Much Needed Lesson on Humility (6-13 )
Text
4:6-13. Now these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred
to myself and Apollos for your sakes; that in us ye might learn not
to go beyond the things which are written; that no one of you be
puffed up for the one against the other. 7 For who maketh thee to
differ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? but if thou
didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?
8 Already are ye filled, already ye are become rich, ye have come to
reign without us: yea and I would that ye did reign, that we also
might reign with you. 9 For, I think, God hath set forth us the
apostles last of all, as men doomed to death: for we are made a
spectacle unto the world, both to angels and men. 10 We are fools
for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are
strong; ye have glory, but we have dishonor. 1 1 Even unto this pres-
ent hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted,
and have no certain dwelling-place; 12 and we toil, working with our
hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; 13
being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, the
offscouring of all things, even until now.
Commentary
transferred to my self and Apollos for your sakes. — Paul simply
named himself and Apollos instead of naming the ones who were
causing the strife in the church. He is teaching a lesson on the correct
relation of men to the church. He might have used the names of the
71
4:6,7 I CORINTHIANS
guilty .parties, but for their sakes — perhaps to spare them the em-
barrassment with the hope that they might change their ways— he
didn't. /There are times when evil doers, have to be pointed out by
name.. Paul didn't hesitate to do it in the case of Alexander and
Hymenaeus (I Tim. 2:20). See John's reference to Diotrephes (III
John 9):
It is doubtful if this can refer to the splits in Corinth that are
mentioned in 1:2. There it seems that leaders were gathering others
about them and forming parties in the church by calling attention
to their own preference to Paul or Cephus, or Apollos.
that yeTniight learn. — The lesson is one on humility. He wanted them
to learn it as he spoke of himself and Apollos.
beyond" the things which are written. — This is a reference to the
quotations from the Old Testament which Paul has used in 1:19, 31;
2:9; 3:X$. Taken together, they are a strong protest against the con-
ceit that was causing men to boast of their own wisdom. Paul tried
to get the Corinthians to see that real wisdom for the mature mind
was the wisdom revealed in the word of the cross as it was spoken by
the inspired teachers.
puffed up for the one against the other. — This refers to the pride and
conceit of the leaders who were causing so much havoc in the church.
People were for one leader and against another. With arrogant pride,
they were alligning themselves with a favorite leader and looking
with disdain on others. Some favored Apollos and assumed an arro-
gant attitude toward Paul — the names of Apollos and Paul were
substituted for the names of the real party leaders.
For who maketh thee to differ? — They needed to learn the lesson of
humility to offset the pride and arrogance that was destroying the
fellowship between brethren in Christ. Paul raises three questions in
order to make them see the point. ( 1 ) Who maketh thee to differ?
Does this acknowledge a distinction or suggest that all are members
of the. same body, even though they may have different functions?
See 12:12. It seems that Paul is reminding them that no one is ele-
vated above another in Christ's plan for the church. He is supreme,
and every believer has the same honored position as a member of His
bodv. (2) What hast thou that thou that thou d'dst not receive?
Whatever anyone had by way of natural talent or acquired skill or
spiritual gift such as those mentioned in 12:8-10. it was not his to
boast about to the disparagement of others in the church. Man as
the creature of God has received so many gifts from H<m. For exam-
ple, he has received physical strength necessary for his responsibilities;
72
CHAPTER FOUR 4:7-9
he has received a mind that enables him to think and to make choices,
These are some of the things that make him different from the ani-
mal. Whatever he had in "spiritual gifts" (miraculous powers) were
given by the Spirit as He determined. There was nothing in all this
to cause them to be proud as if others had not received the same
gifts. (3) Why dost thou glory as if thou didst not receive it? The
basic error indicated by this question seems to be their disregard for
God. If they received their gifts from God, there is no excuse for the
state of division that existed among them.
Already ye are filled,, — Because of their arrogant attitude toward him
as God's servant, Paul ironically presents the Corinthians as having
already arrived at the goal of the Christian life — heaven with all of
its blessings, He sees them sitting at the heavenly feast enjoying the
riches of heaven, but he and the teachers like him are still struggling
under the humiliating experiences that he suffered for their sakes.
/ would that ye did reign, — Although Paul had spoken ironically, he
could wish that what he said of them were really true, that is, that
they were in heaven as victors over all the trials of life. It is no
wonder, that one who had suffered so much for others should long
for the time when the victory for all the faithful, including himself,
would be won. He told the Philippians of this longing: "I am in a
strait betwixt the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ;
for it is very far better: yet to abide in the flesh is more needful for
your sake" (Phil. 1:23-24).
as men doomed to death. — The figure is a familiar one of that day.
It represents condemned men awaiting the hour when they would
be torn to pieces by wild animals before the eyes of the pleasure mad
crowds. The condemned men are the apostles — not because they are
criminals, but because God knew that they would give their lives in
His service. Jesus told Peter some things that were to happen to him,
"signifying by what manner of death he should glorify God" (John
21:19). Peter was aware of this and wrote that "the putting off of
my tabernacle cometh swiftly, even as our Lord Jesus Christ signi-
fied unto me" (II Pet. 1:14). See also Paul's statement to Timothy
(II Tim 4:6-8).
a spectacle unto the world, — The pageant in which the apostles are
being led to their death is performed before the eyes of the world.
The world in this instance is the whole universe — men and angels
behold the spectacle. Not all the men who beheld the spectacle were
evil, for many who witnessed the faithful apostles were convinced
by their lives that the gospel they preached was the truth. See Acts
73
4:9-13 I CORINTHIANS
5:33-42. Stephen's Christlike attitude in death must have made a
very great impression on the "young man Saul." But angels also
were watching the dedicated men as they went to their death. Peter
mentions their interest in the scheme of redemption (I Pet. 1:11-12).
Some more light is thrown on their interest in men who suffer for
Christ by the writer of Hebrews, for he asks, "Are they not all
ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that
shall inherit salvation? " ( Heb 1:14)
fools for Christ's sake. Another touch of irony. They were willing
to be lpoked upon by the world as fools for the sake of Him who
loved them and gave Himself for them. Actually, they were men of
mature, wisdom as Paul had shown in chapter two. The Corinthians,
on the, other hand, were not wise. They thought they were, however,
as a result of their own thinking. Those who accepted the revealed
wisdom of God could, of course, be called wise. But their problem
was that too many of them were only "babes in Christ." The con-
trasts in this verse are designed to produce humility in the hearts of
the readers of the epistle.
we are weak. — Paul freely acknowledged his weakness, that is, with-
out Christ he was weak. Concerning the "thorn in the flesh" — what-
ever that was, we do not know except that it was given him to keep
him from being "over much exalted" — the Lord said, "My grace is
sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness." Paul
adds, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weakness, that
the poWer of Christ may rest in me. Wherefore I take pleasure in
weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for
Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong" (II Cor. 12:8-
10). The strength of the Corinthians also lay in their relation to
Christ, but in all probability the apostle is speaking ironically again
— they were claiming to be strong.
ye have glory. — More irony, perhaps. Actually, they were receiving
glory from men. But from the same men, the apostles were receiving
dishonor. The nature of that dishonor is seen in the long list of things
they were suffering for Christ. This dishonor was going on "even
until now" — the time of writing the epistle. By that time they should
have been acknowledged for their real worth as servants of Christ
filth of the world. — The degradation of these faithful servants of the
Lord reaches it climax in this term. They were like dirt that could
be swept up from the floor or like an incrustation of filth that had to
be scraped off of things to which it had clung.
74
CHAPTER FOUR 4;l4, 15
Admonition to Beloved, Children ( 14-2 1 )
Text
4:14-21. I write not these things to shame you, but to admonish
you as my beloved children. 15 For though ye have ten thousand tu-
tors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I
begat you through the gospel. 16 I beseech you therefore, be ye
imitators of me. 17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timothy, who
is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who shall put you in
remembrance of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach .every-
where in every church. 18 Now some are puffed up, as though I were
not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord
will; and I will know, not the word of them that are puffed up, but
the power. 20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love and a
spirit of gentleness?
Commentary
I write not these things to shame you. — The ironical touch of the
scolding just administered probably did shame them, but Paul's
purpose was not this as an end in itself. He wanted them to do some-
thing about their problem. For. this reason he wrote to them as to
beloved children. The tenderness of Paul was like that of Jesus. Of
Him it is said, "A bruised reed shall he not break, and a smoking
flax shall he not quench, Till he send forth judgment unto victory.
And in his name shall the Gentiles hope" (Matt. 12:20-21). But no
one should presume upon the gentleness of either Jesus or Paul, for
when it became necessary, each was capable of administering the
severest kind of rebuke. Admonition and chastisement were marks of
a good father (Heb. 12:7-13). Paul's tender care for the Corinthians
is always breaking through the dark clouds of severe condemnation of
conduct unbecoming to a Christian. Paul really loved his children in
the Lord.
ten thousand tutors in Christ, — Regardless of the number of tutors
they might have, one fact remains: they have only one father in
Christ. False teachers dogged the steps of Paul wherever he went,
trying to upset the faith of his converts. See II Cor 11:13-15. But
there were the faithful teachers like Apollos also. Whether good or
bad, the fact remained that Paul was first to preach the gospel to
75
4:15 J I CORINTHIANS
them. It was through their obedience to the word of : the cross which
he proclaimed that they had become Christians. ,
The'Word "tutor" was a familiar one to the Corinthians. It de-
scribed the trusted slave or some other parson who watched over the
welfare ! of hoys for their father: It was'ofteri the duty of this person
to take the children to school and get them home safely. There was
a difference, however, between the tutor and the teacher. Others
might be likened to the tutor, but Paul was the teacher.
in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel, — The power to bring
the new creature in Christ into being was in the gospel which Paul
preached;" Since he preached it and they believed and acted upon it,
he could refer to himself as the one who had begotten them in Christ.
James uses a similar expression to explain the cause of the Chris-
tian life: "Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth,
that we should be kind of firstfruits of his creatures" (James 1:18).
Peter uses the same figure: "having been begotten again, not of cor-
ruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God which
liveth and abideth" (I Pet. 1:23). Although there are some who do
not agree, it is possible that John refers to the same thing when he
says, "Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed
abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God" (I
John 3:9)- All this seems to be in agreement with what Jesus said to
Nicoderrius: "Except one be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot
enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5 ) . The Spirit's part has to
do with the preaching of the inspired Word. Water, in connection
with the instruction of the Word, has a place in the new birth. Wash-
ing away of one's sins in baptism is accomplished because of it's con-
nection with the Word (Eph. 5:26). The cleansing power is in the
blood of Christ to which the sinner comes when he is "buried with
Christ through baptism into death" (Rom 6:4) .
It will be helpful in this connection to consider the following uses
of water in connection with the process of becoming a Christian.
(1) Water is used in relation to regeneration. "According to his great
mercy he saved us, through the washing of regeneration" — an act
that brings about the new birth — "and renewing of the Holy Spirit"
— the act of the Holy Spirit that makes one new. (Titus 3:5) The
Holy Spirit's part is in the use of the Word which the inspired apos-
tles proclaimed. ( 2 ) Water is used in relation to separat ; on from sin.
"Our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the
sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea" (I
Cor. 10:1-2). (3) Water is used in purification from sin. "Having
76
CHAPTER, FOUR 4:16-21
our bodies washed in pure water" — water that purifies because God
said to use it in this connection (Heb. 10:22). (4) Water is used in
relation to salvation from sin. "Which also after a true likeness doth
now save you even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the
flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God" (I Pet.
3:21). According to this passage, baptism is the act by which the
believer asks God for a good conscience, for in baptism the blood of
Christ washes away sins (Acts 22:16) .
Hie Corinthians as "babes in Christ" had experienced the new
birth for they had been baptized into Christ. This is a mark of the
beginning of the Christian life. It is not a sign of Christian maturity.
be imitators of me. — In 11:1, he adds the words, "even as I also am
of Christ," One wonders how many teachers or preachers today
would dare to say this; yet every one who is qualified to teach should
set the example for his pupils to follow. The Christian teacher
should, of course, be an imitator of Christ. Since Paul was their
spiritual father, they were under obligation to imitate him. It is
natural for the child to imitate the parent. As to the Corinthians, they
were to imitate Paul by translating into life the lessons he taught
them.
I sent unto you Timothy. — Timothy was a young man of "unfeigned
faith." Both his grandmother and his mother were believers in Christ
(II Tim. 1:5). Paul pays high tribute to Timothy when writing to
the Philippians. He said, "I have no man likeminded, who will truly
care for your state" (Phil. 2:30). He was often sent on important
missions such as this one to Corinth. He was to remind them of
Paul's ways in every church.
some are puffed up. — Some assumed that Paul was not coming to
visit them again. Perhaps they were saying that he was afraid to do so,
and that he was sending Timothy instead. He quickly dispels their
doubts by saying, "I will come shortly, if the Lord will."
not the word of them that are puffed up, but the power. — Paul was
not concerned about the arrogant boasting of some who were against
him; he wanted to test their real force. Was there anything to them
other that high sounding words?
the kingdom of God. — Just as they had failed to recognize the church
as the temple of God, so they also failed to recognize the true nature
of the kingdom of God. It was to be found not in words but in
power vested in the inspired apostle to deal with sinners. Upon his
arrival, all the arrogant boasting of the enemies of the kingdom
would be put to the test.
77
I CORINTHIANS
rod or spirit of gentleness. — Paul put the issue up to them. They
could change their ways before he got there. He evidently hoped for
this, for they were his beloved children. But as their spiritual father
and teacher in Christ he had an obligation to chastise them when they
needed it. The symbol of chastisement was the rod. For a suggestion
as to the possible outcome of the matter, see II Cor 7 : 8-10.
Summary
Chapter four brings to a close the discussion of the subject of
division by correcting the thinking of the Corinthians about human
leadership.
Paul asks them to look upon him as one who served them as the
Lord's subordinate accountable to Him. Since the emphasis is on the
relation of the leader to the Lord, it was of little consequence to him
that they were attempting to pass on his qualifications to be an
apostle. He didn't even do this himself. The Lord who appointed him
to the apostleship examined him as to his fitness for the task. For
this reason, the Corinthians were commanded to stop expressing
opinions as to the superiority of one leader over another. They could
not know the hidden facts necessary to make such judgments. This
judgment belonged to the Lord and must await his coming.
Paul explained why he used his name and that of Apollos in dis-
cussing the work and responsibility of leaders. In chapter three, he
had told how he had planted and Apollos had watered. He had laid
the foundation, and another had built upon it. These leaders were
servants, (deacons), but the Corinthians needed to be reminded that
it was God who gave the increase. In chapter four, he uses his name
and that of Apollos as examples of teachers who were faithful to the
Lord in order to show the Corinthians that they were not to go be-
yond the things that are written, that is, things written in the Old
Testament and quoted in his letter that still have meaning to his
readers. These references constitute a solemn warning against the
inflated egotism of men. While they did differ in the gifts they had
received, there was no reason for them assuming an arrogant attitude
toward brethren in Christ. Any gift they had was given to them. Why
then be puffed up as if it were their by their own right?
To further deflate their egotism, he addresses them in terms of
irony. He represents them as being already in heaven sitting at the
heavenly feasts and enjoying the riches of heaven. If they had been,
Paul would have been there too. But he hastened to tell them about
the humble state of the apostles. The Corinthians were made strong
and wise through the gospel, but the apostles were considered to be
78
CHAPTER FOUR
fools and weaklings by some. They faced the hard lot of doing good
to those who despitefully used them.
Paul did not write these things to shame them, but to admonish
them as his beloved children. They may have had many teachers, but
he was their spiritual father, for they had heard the gospel from
him. As his children in the gospel, he urged them to imitate him, He
reminded them of the coming visit of Timothy who would call their
attention to the things he was teaching in all the churches.
Lest some mistake Paul's tenderness for weakness, he closes this
position of his letter with just a suggestion of harshness, It has to do
with his intended return trip to Corinth. To set them at rest on the
issue, he said "I will come, if the Lord will." Whether his coming
would be in joy and peace or in correction would be for them to
decide. Undoubtedly, his fond hope was that they would listen to
him, correct their errors, and be ready to receive him as one who
loved them as a father.
Questions
1 . What points has Paul made in his program to correct the sin of
division as he led to the discussion of chapter four?
2. What is the figure back of the word "account"?
3. What does it suggest as to the course of action for the Corin-
thians in their attitude toward the apostles?
4. What is the significance of the use of the plural pronoun in this
connection?
5. What is the literal meaning of the word translated "ministers"?
6. How does this differ from the word translated "minister" in 3:5?
7. What bearing does the use of these two terms have on the prob-
lem of the correct view of men in relation to the church?
8. What is the meaning of the word "steward" in this chapter?
9- How does the position of Joseph in Potiphar's house illustrate
the relation of the inspired apostles to the church?
10. As stewards, what was the task of the apostles?
11. What are "the mysteries of God"?
12. What was the most important qualification of a steward?
13. What bearing does this have on the problem of the correct view
of the apostles in relation to the church?
14. What is the meaning of the word "judge" in the phrase, "that I
should be judged of you"?
15. What bearing does this have on the claim of men who said, "I
belong to Paul" or "I belong to Cephas"?
79
I CORINTHIANS
16. Why was Paul not concerned about being judged by the Corin-
thians?
17. What did Paul mean when he said, "I judge not myself"?
18. How harmonize his statement, "I know nothing against myself"
with the known facts of his life before becoming a Christian?
19. What is the meaning of the word "justify" as Paul uses it*in this
chapter?
20. What is the special sense in which it is usually used in the New
Testament?
21. In the sentence, "judge nothing before the time," what is meant
by "judge"?
22. How does this differ from the other word translated "judge" in
this context?
23. Why were the Corinthians incapable of judging?
24. What is the time of judgment?
25- What are the hidden things of darkness?
26. What did Jesus have to say about judging?
27. How does the reference to "praise from God" help solve the
problem of the correct view toward men in the church?
28. Why did Paul use his own name and that of Apollos in his dis-
cussion of the sin of division?
29- Why did Paul in other circumstances mention by name those
who were causing trouble in the church?
30. What did John say about Diotrephes?
31. What lesson is Paul teaching in this connection?
32. What is meant by the phrase, "beyond the things which are
written"?
33. What does "puffed up" mean?
34. What were the Corinthians doing as suggested by the expression,
"for the one against the other"?
35. Why did Paul ask, "Who maketh thee to differ?"
36. Why did he ask, "What hast thou that thou didst not receive?"
37. What things had they received?
38. What basic error is suggested by the question, "Why dost thou
glory as if thou didst not receive it?"
39- What bearing do these questions have on the problem of
division?
40. Whv sav that Paul speaks ironically when he says, "already ye
are filled"?
41 . To what did he refer by "filled" and "rich"?
42. Why did he say, "I would that ye did reign"?
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CHAPTER FOUR
43. What did Paul write to the Philippians about his desire for
heaven?
44, What is the figure presented in the phrase, "men doomed to
die"?
45 • What did Jesus reveal to Peter about his death?
46. What did Paul write to Timothy about his anticipated death?
47. What effect on the Corinthians did Paul expect his remarks
about suffering to have?
48. What is meant by "spectacle unto the world"?
49. What did angels have to do with it?
5 0. What is meant by "fools for Christ's sake"?
5 1. Why did he say, "we are weak"?
52. To what weakness did he refer?
53. What did Paul imply when he said, "ye have glory"?
54. What is the meaning of Paul's remark about' "filth of the world"?
5 5 ■ What was Paul's purpose in writing this rebuke?
56. What term shows his great love for those who became Christians
under his preaching?
57. What was the work of the tutor?
58. How does it explain the position of the teachers in Corinth?
59- What term describes Paul's relation to the Corinthian Christians
in contrast to "tutor"?
60. What does he mean by, "I begat you through the gospel?"
61. What does the New Testament say about the use of water in
connection with becoming a Christian?
62. Why were the Corinthians to imitate Paul?
63. What did Paul think of Timothy?
64. Why did he send him to Corinth?
65 • Why did he say, "some are puffed up"?
66. What did he plan to learn about the leaders in Corinth if the
Lord should permit him to visit them?
67. What did he mean by saying, "the kingdom of God is not in
word, but in power"?
68. What choice did he leave to the Corinthians as to his intended
visit?
For Discussion
1. What is the place of example in the learning process?
2. What effect would a correct example have on the problem of
"splits" in a local congregation?
81
CHAPTER FIVE
Analysis
A. Paul now considers the dereliction of the church in the matter of
moral discipline ( 1-8 ) .
1. He expresses amazement at the shocking condition that was
allowed to go unrebuked in the church ( 1-2 ) .
a) He presents the details of the case.
( 1 ) Fornication was actually heard and generally known
to be present among them.
(2) The existing immorality was 'of such a nature that
even the pagans around them would not tolerate it.
( 3 ) The shameful conduct was this: A certain one — Paul
did not name him, but they surely knew who he was
— had his father's wife, living with her as his own.
b ) He shows his attitude toward their failure to act.
( 1 ) They were puffed up— their pride prevented them
from being aware of their duty to deal with this
situation.
(2) They did not mourn, but that is what they should
have done in such shameful situations.
(3) They had failed to see that the one who had done
such a thing was taken away from among them.
2. He gives the inspired directive for dealing with this thing
which they had neglected to handle ( 3-5 ) .
,, a) He shows just how he had arrived at the decision.
( 1 ) Although he was absent in body, he was present in
spirit, that is, he was actually taking part in the case.
( 2 ) His judgment on the guilty party.
(a) He had already passed sentence on the guilty
one just as if he were present.
(b) He did this in the name of the Lord Jesus, that
is, by the Lord's authority exercised through the
inspired apostle.
(c) He was present in spirit when they gathered to-
gether to hear this verdict.
b) He points out the effective power and purpose of this
action.
( 1 ) The power to execute the sentence was the power of
the Lord Jesus.
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CHAPTER FIVE
(2) The sentence was to deliver such a one to Satan for
the destruction of the flesh,
(3) The purpose of the decision was in the hope that the
spirit of the one judged may be saved in the day of
the Lord Jesus.
3. He rebukes them for their pride which caused them to fail to
take action in this situation ( 6-8 ) .
a) Their boasting was not good, that is, their pride in position
of leadership was not good for it had caused them to
neglect their duty in this case.
b) He asks them a revealing question: "Know ye not that a
little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?" The whole
church was in danger of being corrupted because of the
immoral conduct of one man which they had neglected to
correct.
c) He indicates the course of action they were to take.
( 1 ) They were to purge out the old leaven, that is, they
were to remove the sinful condition from their midst.
(2) The purpose of this action was that they might be-
come what they were designed to be, a new lump,
that is, a body of clean-living Christians.
( 3 ) The reason for this is seen in the fact that Christ, our
passover lamb, has already been sacrificed.
(4) They were therefore to keep the whole Christian life
free from malice and wickedness by filling it with
sincerity and truth.
B. Paul explains the instructions he has given for handling cases such
as the one that existed in their midst (9-13).
1. He wrote in his epistle that they were to have no company
with fornicators ( 9 ) ■
2. He explains what he meant by this remark (10-11).
a) It did not refer to the people of the world who were
fornicators, covetous persons, and idolators.
b) This would require them to go out of the world, an evident
impossibility.
c) But he did write to them that they were not to keep
company with a brother in Christ if that one was a forni-
cator, or a covetous person, or a drunkard, or an extor-
tioner.
d) They were not to eat with such a person — no social func-
tions that implied approval of sinners in the church.
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5:1 I CORINTHIANS
3. The reason for this standard of conduct ( 12-13a) .
a) He had nothing to do with judging those who are outside
of the church.
b) But they did have a responsibility to act in such matters
where brethren were concerned.
c ) They were reminded that God will judge the outsiders.
4. As a final statement about the action they were to take, he
said: "Put away the wicked man from among yourselves"
(13b).
The Matter of Moral Discipline (1-8)
Text
5:1-8. It is actually reported that there is fornication among you,
and such fornication as is not even among the Gentiles, that one of
you hath his father's wife.; 2 And ye are puffed up, and did not rather
mourn, that he that had done this deed might be taken away from
among you. 3 For I verily, being absent in body but present in spirit,
have already as though I were present judged him that hath so
wrought this thing, 4 in the name of our Lord Jesus, ye being gath-
ered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 to
deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that
the spirit may be saved in the' day of the Lord Jesus. 6 Your glorying
is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole
lump? 7 Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, even
as ye are unleavened. For our passover also hath been sacrificed, even
Christ: :: 8 wherefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither
with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened
bread of sincerity and truth.
Commentary
It is acutally reported. — -The problem of division in the church at
Corinth had been reported to Paul by those of the household of
Chloe. It is possible, although we cannot be certain about it, that his
information about certain derelictions in the church came from the
same source. The church had failed to take proper action in at least
three issues, moral discipling, litigation, and use of the body. Bad as
the sin of division was, these three additional sins coupled with the
failure of the church to do anything about them constituted an even
worse condition. There is little wonder that the apostle expresses
amazement at the shocking condition of the church.
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CHAPTER FIVE 5:1,2
there is fornication among you,-^-lmmot&l conduct stands high . on
the list of sins that degrade man and rob him of the privilege of
maintaining family relations within the limits of the purity that God
intended him to observe. The apostle condemns the sin and also im-
plies that the failure of the responsible leaders to discipline the
guilty part is equally serious.
not even am-ong Gentiles, — This is a remarkable statement in view
of the fact that Corinth was known for its luxury and licentiousness.
There were limits to things that even pagans tolerated. God's divine
plan for the home given at the time of creation of man (Gen. 2:23-
24) and upheld by Our Lord (Matt. 19:4-6) should have been re-
stored to its proper place in the life of the church. It is true that
poligamy was known among pagans and practiced by some of the
, believers in God in Old Testament times, but the case of incest in
the church at Corinth could not be justified by either pagan or Jew
, or Christian who held to the divine standard for the home.
his father's wife,- — Poligamy was practiced and concubinage was ap-
proved in the culture of that day, but this thing was shocking to all
whose moral sense was not dulled by selfish pride and desire to
receive praise from men. This one — whoever he was we do not know
. for Paul does not name him — was probably living with one of the
wives of his father, certainly not with his mother, Nothing said about
the father, but in all probability he was dead.
With the church tolerating such conduct, how could they hope to
win pagans to Christ? Pagan standards, it would seem, were higher
than those of the church at Corinth. No effective presentation of the
i cause of Christ can be made unless it is supported by the transformed
lives of the members of the church,
And ye are puffed up, — Once again Paul hurls this charge at the
Corinthians. They were guilty of being self-centered and arrogant.
This came from the situation that resulted in the divided state of the
• church. Their cliques, where men received glory from men, were
■the cause of their failure to act in these cases that required discipli-
nary action. It does not seem that they were proud of the immoral
conduct on the part of this brother, but their sin lay in the fact that
<they failed to do their duty and remove the immoral one from their
''midst.
'•■did not rather mourn,- — They had lost their sense of shame. The fact
' that such a sin existed in their midst should have caused them to
mourn as a sign of disapproval. Instead, they were carrying on their
efforts to promote one leader above another as if totally unaware of
85
5:2,3 I CORINTHIANS
the presence of sin in their midst. The whole church was being put
to shame in the eyes of the pagans, but they were unaware of it.
he that had, done this deed. — Paul did not name him. There was no
need to do so for he must have been well known to the church and
to the pagan community. Perhaps the name was withheld with the
hope of helping the guilty brother. Remedial action was called for.
The final judgment, of course, would take care of those who would
not heed the admonition of the gospel. The man mentioned in II
Cor. 2:5-11 could be the same as the one mentioned here, although
most commentators doubt it. If it is true, then it is evident that the
effort Paul put forth to correct the situation in Corinth was not in
vain. At any rate, the principle of forgiveness would apply in the
event the man, whether the same one or not, did repent and show
evidence of it by a changed life.
taken away from among you. — Paul had stated that "fornication is
among you." Now the one who did the deed must "be taken away
from you." Immorality and all other violations of God's law for His
people simply cannot remain in the church without destroying the
church. Better to remove the diseased member than to loose the
whole body. But the analogy ends here, for the removed one could
be saved in the end if he should repent and ask God for forgiveness.
This should be the end in view in all such cases. To condone sin,
however, is to virtually seal the doom of the sinner. To take him
away from the other members is the only possible hope of saving
him. The problem is, How shall this be done? This Paul proceeds to
show ,in detail.
For I verily, being absent in body but present in spirit. — It did not
require the physical presence of the apostle to settle this matter. God
knows the hearts of all men, and His inspired Word is sufficient to
direct the course of action designed to remedy all such cases. It is
possible that the Corinthians felt there was nothing they could do
since the apostle was not present. They may not have reckoned on
the information reaching him. Perhaps they were too smug in their
exalted positions with-'n the cliques in the church to care much about
his absence or their duty in the matter. But this situation demanded
action, and Paul tells them what to do about it.
have already as though I were present judged him. — This is like a
case being tried before a judge. Paul as the inspired apostle of Christ
hands down the verdict. The heart of this involved sentence is this: "I
have already decided to hand him over to Satan." There was no call
for a formal assembly to try the case. This had already been done by
86
CHAPTER FIVE 5:3,4
one competent to do so, for he was directed in his action as an apostle
by the Holy Spirit. All that was left for the church was to carry out
the order of the judge — hand over such a one to Satan. This order was
just as binding as if Paul had been, there in person to pronounce
sentence.
that hath wrought this thing. — There was no need to repeat the
sordid details; they had been given and were well known to the
church. Note Paul's remark to the Ephesians, "But fornication, and
all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among you,
as becometh saints" (Eph. 5:3). But such a sin had to be removed.
in the name of ■our Lord Jesus, — That is, by His authority. As an
apostle of Christ, Paul is acting for Christ. This could only be so be-
cause he was being directed by the Holy Spirit. Note Jesus' words to
the apostles during one of His appearances after the resurrection,
"Receive ye the Holy Spirit: whose soever sins ye forgive, they are
forgiven unto them; whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained"
(John 20:22-23). A similar word was spoken to the apostles at an
earlier time, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall
guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself;
but what things soever he shall hear, these he shall speak: and he
shall declare unto the things that are to come. He shall glorify me:
for he shall take of mine, and declare it unto you" (John 16: 13-14),
Upon still another occasion Jesus said to the twelve, "Verily I say
unto you, that ye who have followed me, in the regeneration when
the Son of man shall sit on the throne of His glory, ye shall sit upon
twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matt. 19:28).
There is no doubt that Paul had same authority as all the other
apostles. The decision of one judge is the decis ; on of the whole group.
The decision which he made in this case is the divine decision, and it
had to be carried out as an act of obedience to God.
'ye being gathered together, and my spirit. — This shows the conditions
under which the judgment of the apostle was to be carried out. The
church was to assemble with the apostle's presence represented by
his inspired epistle which gave direction for their action. The directive
was just as authoratative as if Paul were actually present. The absence
of living apostles rodav does not justify the church in disregarding the
instruction of the Word in such matters if they should occur.
This was not a trial as if the church were attempting to arrive at a
solution of the problem. The facts were too well known; they were
rumored everywhere. The decision was that of the inspired apostle.
The church had only one thing to do : let it be known that they were
87
5:4,5 I CORINTHIANS'
acting on the orders of the Lord through His apostle. The church,
the one who had done this deed, and the community in which it
occurred were ail to know that they were no longer to be mixed up
with the one guilty of immoral conduct.
with the power of the Lord Jesus. — It is the Lord's power functioning
through His inspired Word through an obedient church that actually
hands over the guilty one to Satan. Christ alone can exclude one from
His body just as the Lord alone can add to His body those who are
being saved. But He accomplishes both through the church as it com-
plies with His instructions.
There are numerous examples of the exercise of divine power to
punish the wicked. Some of them have been exhibited in miraculous
demonstrations. Ananias and Sapphira were stricken dead for lying
to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:1-11). They, of course, thought they were
dealing with the apostle Peter when they misrepresented the. ; r gen-
erousity. Not every one who lies is immediately stricken dead, but
the judgment of the Lord is against the liar ( Rev. 21:8). Elymas the
sorcerer was stricken blind for interfering with the effort of Paul to
present the gospel to Sergius Paulus (Acts 13:9-12 ) .
The miracle of a transformed life faithfully demonstrated in the
daily conduct of the church would have just as great effect on the
unsaved as these miracles in the physical realm. The Corinthian
brethren could yet impress the pagan community that the Lord was
real to them by excluding sin from their midst. The church that
actually abides, by the instruction of the Lord in His Word can
effectively show a wilful sinner that no one approves his deeds but
Satan.
to deliver such a one unto Satan. — The Lord was to do this through
His obedient church. But how? Note the clear statements of the
course of action that was to be taken as set forth in this context: (1)
"taken away from among you" (v. 1); (2) "deliver such a one to
Satan" (v. 5); (3) "purge out the old leaven (v. 7); (4) "have no
company with fornicators" (v. 9); (5) "put away the wicked man
from among yourselves" (v. 13).
Note that no formal trial is indicated. It was not a question of the
church trying to decide one's guilt; the apostle had already made that 1
decision. It was simply a matter of the church complying with the
Lord's instruction through His inspired apostle. In other words, the
church is to follow the standard of daily conduct revealed in
the Word of God. That forbids getting mixed up with immoral
CHAPTER FIVE 5:5
persons so as to imply approval of their conduct, Where the Word
is faithfully preached and effectively backed up by the lives of all
concerned, there will be no doubt as to the position of the church on
matters such as faced the church at Corinth. When the church shows
by its conduct that it does not approve immoral conduct, the only
one left to do so is Satan and his slaves to sin.
Should such a person be permitted to attend church services?
While this is a matter of opinion, it seems that if the Word is faith-
fully preached and the church is faithfully living it, this would be
the ideal place for sinners, of all sorts to hear what to do. to be saved
from sins. But under no circumstances should they be put into posi-
tions of leadership and responsibility in the church, No action of the
church should be such as to lead the one at variance with the truth
of the gospel to imply approval of his life.
for the destruction of the flesh, — Paul has spoken of the members
of the Corinthian congregation as "made of flesh" and "belonging to
flesh." That was a reference to their spiritual immaturity. But "flesh"
in this context refers to the sinful practice that was the outgrowth of
perversion of powers inherent in the physical body. For a list of such
sins which Paul calls the "works of the flesh" see Gal. 5 : 19-21.
The destruction of the flesh then does not imply bodily harm as in
the cases of Ananias and Elymas. It does suggest the conquering of
those desires that arise out of physical impulses such as led to the
shocking state of affairs in Corinth.
that the spirit may be saved.' — Man is a two-fold being — -a spirit
dwelling in a physical body. Much of what becomes sin in his life
is a perversion of those things which are connected with his physical
being. The physical body dies, but it will be raised in the resurrec-
tion of the dead at the last day. Paul declares, "as in Adam all die,
so also in Christ shall all be made alive" (I Cor. 15:22). Speaking of
the resurrection of the dead, Jesus said, "the hour cometh, in which
all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall come forth;
they that have done good, unto the resurrection, of life; and they that
have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment" (John 5:28-29).
It was with this hope in mind that Paul gave instruction to the
church to deliver the guilty one to Satan for the destruction of the
flesh that the spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. He
hoped that the guilty one would repent and change his ways and be
saved. Now we see why such peremptory action is commanded. It
isn't kind to condone sin and encourage one to go on in sinful activity
89
5:5-7 I CORINTHIANS
that can lead only to his being lost. Deliver him to Satan; let him
know by teaching and action that he has only Satan's approval, and
it might bring him to his senses. Of course, a Christian attitude to-
ward all such individuals at all times is necessary. The church should
show a willingness to forgive at the least sign of repentance. See II
Cor. 5:5-11; II Thes. 3: 14.
Your glorying is not good. — -Their glorying over men and being
puffed up with pride while a sinful situation was being disregarded to
the disgrace of the whole church and the inevitable loss of the sinner
was not praiseworthy. As leprosy destroys the beauty of the body, so
sin destroys the attractiveness of the church.
a little, leaven leavens the whole lump, — Were some saying that this
was an isolated case that did not necessarily affect the whole church?
Paul is not saying that the whole church was practicing such sin. But
the whole body was in danger of being affected by the sin of one
member. The effectiveness of the church in preaching Christ was
ruined by this one example that even pagans could not approve. Just as
a small amount of the leavening agent spreads through all the dough,
so this evil thing would spread to the whole church. That's why they
had to get rid of it in the manner prescribed by the inspired apostle.
purge out the old leaven.- — At the passover feast, the Jews were to
remove all leaven from their midst. Leaven in this instance stands for
sin. It is associated with the old life before one becomes a Christian.
The church is to get rid of sinful conduct that belongs to its former
life. Paul made this clear in the Roman letter: "We were buried
therefore with him through baptism into death: that like as Christ
was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we
might walk in the newness of life. For if we have become united with
him in the likeness of his death, we shall also be in the likeness of
his resurrection; knowing this, that our old man was crucified with
him, that the body of sin might be done away so that we should no
longer be in bondage to sin" (Rom. 6:4-6). See also Col. 3:5-11
where Paul declares that the members on earth which are involved in
sin such as fornication and the like are to be put to death.
that ye may be a new lump. — The Christian life is completely new.
The Christian is a new creature (II Cor 5:17). He has a new name
(Acts 11:26). He has a new master (Rom. 6:16-18). He has a new
hope (Heb. 6:18-20). He has a new destiny (II Pet. 3:11-13). With
all this, he certainly should be living the new life (Rom. 6:1-5;
12:1-2).
90
CHAPTER FIVE 5:7,8
even as ye are unleavened, — God set the Christian free in Christ. The
church is, in His sight, sanctified or separated from sin. Since that
is wnat they are an <orods eternal purpose, church members are to
conduct themselves accordingly. The church is not to be like ancient
Israel that was' delivered rrom bondage in Egypt but continually
longed to go back to their former state and were forever doing the
things that brought disgrace upon themselves and their God who
redeemed them.
For our passover hath been sacrificed., even Christ. — See Ex: 12:1-51
for the account of the passover. The lamb represents Christ. John the
Baptist called Him "the lamb of God that taketh away the sm of
the world" (John 1:29). Paul says, "Him who knew no sin he made
to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of
God in him" (II Cor. 5:21). The point is this, Christ has already
died for our sins. We are under obligation to live the life separated
from sin (Rom. 6:1-2).
let us keep the feast.- — The whole Christian life is likened to the pass-
over feast, just as leaven which represented sin was to be excluded
during the feast so sin is to be put away from the whole Christian
life. The Christian is to live the life of separation from sin seven days
a week for as long as life lasts. It is not for just one day a week, but
for the duration of life (Rev. 2:10). This earnest exhortation ex-
presses the apostle's hope that the church at Corinth will put this
sinful person with his immoral conduct out of their midst.
old leaven,- — The leaven that represents . sin and that belonged to the
old life before becoming a Christian. .i. : :
unleavened bread. — The new life in Christ is to be characterized by
sincerity and truth. The Corinthian church was guilty of l.v'ng a life
pt hypocracy and falsehood. They were preaching remission of sins
( through the blood of the Lamb, but living in s n and lending ap-
proval to others who were doing so. Pagans could not be won to the
Lord by such conduct. The gospel which is the word of truth must
be supported by a life of sincerity and truth in Christ.
Paul Explains the Instruction he has Given (9-13 )
Text
5:9-13. I wrote unto you in my epistle to have no company with
fornicators; 10 not at all meaning with the fornicators of th's world,
or with the covetous and extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must
ye needs go out of the world: 11 but as it is, I wrote unto you not to
keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or
91
5:9,10 I CORINTHIANS
covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner;
with such a one no, not to eat. 12 For what have I to do with judg-
ing them that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within?
13 But them that are without God judgeth. Put away the wicked man
from among yourselves.
Commentary
I wrote to you in my epistle.- — Literally, "in the epistle." See the '
reference to Sosthenes who is called "our" brother, although it is
literally "the" brother (1:1). This often presents a problem in ■
translation, for the article could be used in a number of different .
ways. In .this case, it could refer to the epistle which the Corinthians '
were reading ( our First Corinthians ) .
The tense of the, verb also presents a translation problem. Nor-
mally it would indicate action occuring in past time just as our ,
English text says, "I wrote." But the Greeks also used this tense with
another meaning. For example, Paul could be thinking of his readers .
in such a manner as to suppose that he was actually with them when ..
they were reading the letter. If this is true, he would be saying, "In
this letter, I wrote to have no* campany with fornicators." This, in
substance, is what he did write in 1-9. Note verse 2, "he that had
done this thing might be taken away from you," and "Purge out the
old leaven" (5:7). In other words, he could be explaining in greater :
detail what he had just written. All are agreed that this is the sense
in which " I wrote" is verse eleven is to be taken.
Whjile some of the early commentators take this view about verse
nine, ^most of the later ones think of it as a reference to an epistle,.!
which he wrote prior to our First Corinthians. It is, according to this ~ x
view, "the lost epistle" of Paul's. While we must concede that this is','"
possible, the fact remains that it is not a proven fact and that it does'"
make sense to take "I wrote" as suggested above. While all this isf
interesting and should be taken into consideration, it does not change 1 "
the import of this passage in the slightest. We still have the inspired'*'''
instruction about such cases of misconduct in the church and the ;j
explanation as given in this sention (9-13). " u
no company with fornicators. — Literally, "not mixed up with." Do not'
mingle or associate with those guilty of immoral conduct such as this*
one who had his father's wife. xi
not at all meaning with fornicators of this world. — What the apostle! r,
had said on this subject in this epistle — or in the so-called "lost:
epistle" — was not to be understood as saying that church people were. •
92
CHAPTER FIVE 5:10,11
never to associate with people of the world. Of course, they were not
to mingle with them in such a manner as to become one like them
and lend approval to sinful practice. The Pharisees attempted to dis-
credit Jesus by insinuating that His presence at social functions of His
day where tax collectors 'and sinners were present was lending ap-
proval to sinful practice. Jesus' answer to this charge was this, "They
that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick"
(Matt. 9:12). Christian people cannot afford to associate with the
world and partake of its sinful practices, but they must make con-
tact in such a manner as to help the lost sinner of the world to find
the Savior.
for then must ye heeds go out of the world. — Paul was afraid that
they might misunderstand what he had written on this subject. Was
it a former epistle or the one he was just writing? This, of course,
was no problem to the Corinthians. If they had received an earlier
epistle, this language would be clear to them. If, on the other hand,
all he had written was this letter, then.it would be equally intelligible
to them. But this need not trouble us, for the meaning is the same
whether written in some earlier epistle or in the earlier paragraph.
Christian people are the light of the world and the salt of the
earth. It is not possible to go out of the world, and if it were, it
would be contrary to God's plan to save the believer to do so. God's
plan calls for the preaching of the word of the cross by the faithful
church that men might hear and believe and be saved.
if any man that is named a brother, — What Paul wrote concerned the
church composed of brethren in Christ. The church is in the ; world
but not of it, just as Jesus said of the apostles (John 17: 11-14) .
Living in the world where sinners lives does not mean that Christians
approve the sinful things of the world. To condone sin in the church,
however, does mean that the church is lending approval to sin. This
idea is completely out of harmony with the terms by which Paul had
addressed the church in the opening words of this epistle. There he
called them "sanctified" and. "saints" which implied separation from
the world of sin.
covetous, — People are sometimes known by the company they keep.
This is true of words also, for the other terms with which a word may
be associated tend to influence its meaning. Immoral conduct was
abhorent to God and should also be to godly people, But how often
do we think of "covetousness" as being in the same category? Paul
says that covetousness is idolatry (Col. 3:5). In this context he lists
93
5:12,13 I CORINTHIANS
it with the fornicator, the idolater, the reviler, the drunkard, and the
extortioner.
with such a one no, not to eat. — So what he writes is not limited to
one particular sin such as fornication. The whole list is condemned.
Christians are not to try to go on living in sin of any sort.
"Not to eat" does not refer to the Lord's supper. It is rather a
reference to what has just been said about not getting mixed up with
sinners in such a manner as to lend approval to sinful conduct. Paul
indicates in 10:27 that it would not be wrong for a Christian to eat
with a non-Christian provided it did not involve a compromise of
Christian, principles.
judging them that are without. — Paul's responsibility was clearly with
the church,: not outsiders. He pronounced inspired judgment on those
who were in the body of Christ. The world was in another category.
The gospel was to be preached to all the world that they might be-
lieve and be baptized and so be saved (Mk. 16:15-16). Until men of
the world get this done', they are not under the standard of conduct
that governs the Christian. "
God judgeth.— God will' judge the sinner of the world in the day of
the Lord. This warning should cause sinners within and without to
repent (Acts 17:30-31). Therefore Paul says, "Put away the wicked
man from among yourselves."
Summary
As was to be expected, a divided church that was more interested
in promoting a party spirit than in becoming a living demonstration
of the power of the word of the cross to transform a life had neglected
its duty toward its own members. For example, one who wore the
name of "brother" was guilty of the sin of having his father's wife;
others were going to law before pagan judges to the disgrace of the
church in the eyes of the gentile world; still others were guilty of
sinning "against the body" that God intended to be a temple of tHfe
Holy Spirit.
The apostle severely condemns the revolting sin of immoral con-
duct. But the attitude of the whole church toward this sin and their
failure to do their duty in correcting the condition are even more
severely criticized by Paul in this chapter.
Even the Gentiles would not tolerate such a sin as a man having
his father's wife, but the church had neglected to act in the case of a
"brother" practicing this disgraceful thing. They were "puffed up"
over divisions among them and had entirely neglected to consider the
94
CHAPTER FIVE
enormity of the sin that should have caused the deepest sense of
shame and sorrow to the whole church.
Paul, although absent from them, had made up his mind what
should be done, He told them of his decision which stood just as if
he were actually present. The church should gather together and be
aware of his presence "in spirit" because of the letter he was writing
to them. The church could then act in the name of Christ, doing what
Christ Himself would do, and deliver this one to Satan. The power to
do this belonged to the Lord and was exercised through the inspired
instruction of the apostle in connection with the obedience of the
church. The action prescribed was designed to show the guilty one
that Satan was the only one left to approve his guilty conduct. Pagans
would then see that such a one was completely discredited as a repre-
sentative of anything belonging to Christ and His church.
The purpose of this action was the destruction of the "flesh" — the
source of the sinful conduct that led to this violation of God's law of
righteous conduct. That it is remedial in intent is evident from the ex-
pressed hope that the "spirit" might be saved in the day of the Lord.
They could not escape the meaning of the solemn decree which
Paul as the Lord's inspired spokesmen sent to them in writing: "For
I, although absent in body, but present in spirit, have already passed
judgment (decided the case), as if I were present, on the one who
did such a thing — that is, in the name of the Lord Jesus, when you
and my spirit have gathered together, with the power of the Lord
Jesus Christ, to hand such a one over to Satan for the destruction of
the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord." " ; : ;•■
Their boasting over the superiority of one leader to the disparage-
ment of another was not a very pretty thing. It had caused the church
.to be discredited in the eyes of the Gentile community. How then
icould they hope to win pagans to Christ? Didn't they know that a
little leaven leavens the whole lump? The whole church was con-
demned because it condoned the sin of one who was known as a
"brother."
, Following the analogy of the passover feast during which all
leaven was excluded form the homes of God's people, Israel, Paul
commands the church to rid itself of this sin for Christ their passover
had already been slain. They had been separated from sin when they
became Christians; they should continue, not in sin, but in the new
life with Christ.
Paul explains that he had written — in the preceeding paragraph
or in "the lost epistle" — that they were not to get mixed up with
95
I CORINTHIANS
sinners. He did not mean that they were to get off the earth to
avoid contact with evil. He had written to say that they should not
get mixed up with an immoral person, or a covetous man, or an idol
worshipper, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner who may
bear the name of "brother." No social contact that implied approval
of such sinners was permitted.
As to the outsider, Paul said, "It is not for me to judge him." God
will judge sinners in the day of the Lord, but the church is responsi-
ble for carrying out the directives of the Lord with respect to the sin-
ful conduct of its members. Paul's final word left no doubt about
what they were to do. They were to remove the evil one from their
midst and do it immediately. The nature of the sin demanded per-
emptory action by the whole church.
Questions
1. How had Paul learned about the sinful situation in the church?
2. In what way was the whole church guilty?
3. What was the nature of the sin?
4. In what other sins that tended to discredit the church before the
pagan community had they failed to take proper action?
5. What was Paul's attitude toward the failure of the church to act
in these cases?
6. What kind of a reputation did Corinth have in regard to moral
standards?
7. What was their attitude toward this sin?
8. Explain how this one could have his father's wife.
9. What did this sin which was allowed to go unreproved by the
church do to their effectiveness in preaching Christ and Him
crucified?
10. What was the church puffed up about?
11. What should have been their reaction to this situation?
12. Why didn't Paul name the one who had done this thing?
13- What should the attitude of the church be toward a member who
repents of his sin and desires to change his way of living?
14. What order did the apostle give the church in the case of the
brother who was living in sin?
15. Is it better to remove a diseased member of the body than to let
the whole body die?
16. What, in all probability, will become of the sinner if the church
condones his sin?
17. What will become of the whole church that fails to rebuke those
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CHAPTER FIVE
of its members who habitually practice conduct unbecoming to a
Christian?
18. Why was the physical presence of Paul unnecessary in order for
the church to act in this case?
I?. How was his presence represented?
20. What was implied by the fact that Paul had already decided the
case against the wicked man?
21. By what authority did he make the decision?
22. What was the sentence of the Lord's inspired apostle?
23. What is meant by taking this action "in the name of our Lord
Jesus"?
24. How could the apostles be trusted to act in His name?
25. What of Paul's authority in relation to that of the other apostles?
26. Where was the apostolic decree against the guilty man to be
made known?
27. When the church assembled on this occasion what were they to
remember about the absence of Paul?
28. Why was the church not to hold a trial in this case?
29. What are some of the examples of physical punishment visited
on outstanding sinners?
30. How can the church have just as great effect on the unsaved sin-
ner as the demonstrations of such physical punishment?
31. Who was to deliver the sinner to Satan?
32. What was the part of the church in carrying out the sentence?
33. What are the various expressions that show exactly how this was
to be done?
34. Should a condemned "brother" such as the one at Corinth be al-
lowed to attend church?
35. What should a church refuse to do until he repents?
36. What should they do when he repents?
37. What was the purpose of the sentence against the wicked one?
38. What was the church glorying about?
39. Why did Paul say that it was not good?
40. Why did Paul say that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
41. What are the facts of the passover feast as presented in Exodus?
42. What bearing did this have on the situation at Corinth?
43. In what ways is the Christian life completely new?
44. What did Paul imply by the remark, "even as ye are unleavened"?
45. In what way is Christ our passover lamb?
46. What is the relation of the passover feast to the whole Christian
life?
97
I CORINTHIANS
47. What does the old leaven represent?
48. What was to be done with it?
49. How does this apply to the case of the immoral man in the Co-
rinthian church?
50. What does the unleavened bread stand for?
51. What are the two ways to understand Paul's statement: "I wrote
to you in my epistle?"
52. If there should be a "lost epistle" of Paul to the Corinthians,
what bearing would it have on our understanding of First
Corinthians?
53. What is the literal meaning of the expression, "no company with
fornicators?"
54. What limit did Paul place On the church in regard to social
contacts?
55. What did Jesus say about the relation of His disciples to the
world?
56. Why did Paul say, "then ye must needs go out of the world"?
57. To whom did Paul's directive apply?
58. How does Jesus' statement about the apostles in relation to the
world illustrate that of the church?
59- What other sins besides immorality did Paul include in this
decision?
60. What is said about judging the world?
For Discussion
1 . How can the church have an effective vo ; ce in upholding the
Christian standards of morality in our society?
2. What do you think about sermons on hell and the judgment?
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CHAPTER SIX
Analysis
A, Paul shows the shame involved in brethren going to court before
pagan judges (1-11).
1. He asks a series of questions to get them to consider their sin-
ful practice (1-4).
a) He indicates that such a thing was all but unbelievable by
asking, "Would any one you dare to do this thing?"
( 1 ) It was a fact that one of them had a matter against
another (his neighbor) in the family of God.
(2) It was a fact that they were actually taking their dif-
ferences before pagan judges to have them settled.
( 3 ) It was also a fact that they could have gone to a wise
brother to get help when differences arose.
b) He raises further questions to prove the issue that they
could have settled their differences by laying them before
wise brethren in the church.
( 1 ) The question was designed to lift their thoughts from
their petty problems to an exalted view of the
church: "Don't you know that the saints shall judge
the world?"
(a) He assumes that they should have known this.
(b) He asks, "If this is so, are you unworthy to
judge the smallest matters ( the little differences
that arise among brethren ) ? "
(2) Another question points to an even greater responsi-
bility of the saints, "Don't you know that we shall
judge angels?"
(a) In asking the question, he assumes they should
known this.
(b) "How much more easily can you judge things
pertaining to this life (such as the differences
between you)?"
c) He brings all the forces of these questions to bear on the
problem before them :
(1) He assumes that they must also accept the responsi-
bility of deciding matters pertaining to this life.
( 2 ) He asks, "Are you going to set one up as judge who
has no standing in the church (one who is a pagan
and an outsider)?"
99
I CORINTHIANS
He answers the problem raised by the questions (5-6).
a) He told them his purpose in the questions; it was to shame
them for the thing they were doing.
b) The shame of this thing is indicated by another question:
( 1 ) "Isn't there one wise man among you who can decide
a problem between brethren?"
(2) Apparently they were ignoring this possibility for
brother was going to law with brother.
( 3 ) The shocking thing about it was this: they were dis-
playing this weakness before unbelievers.
He shows why all this was wrong (7-11).
a) Lawsuits with one another defeat the purpose of the
church.
b) Two questions suggest the better way:
( 1 ) Why not rather take wrong?
(2) Why not rather be defrauded?
c) He raises the question that suggests the importance of
the saints' real- possession in contrast to the petty things
over which they were going to court before the pagan
unbelievers.
( 1 ) He assumes that they did know about their inheritance
in the kingdom of God.
(2) He makes it clear that the sinners of all categories
will not inherit the kingdom of God. This seems to
imply that if they stooped to such practices as going
to law before pagans to. the shame of the church they
would not inherit the kingdom of God.
. (a ) He lists the kinds of, sinners he had in mind: im-
moral persons, idolaters, adulterers, sensual per-
sons; , sodomites, thieves, covetous persons, and
. . robbers.
(b) He reminds them that some of them had been
in these categories. : .■"<,■.
(c) He shows them how they had escaped: "They
got themselves washed, they were sanctified, they
were justified in the name, of the Lord Jesus
Christ and in the Spirit of our God." This should
have reminded them that this sin of going to law
to the disgrace of God's saints was not to be
tolerated.
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CHAPTER SIX
B. Paul shows them that they were to flee from the sins against the
body which is a temple of the Holy Spirit ( 12-20) .
1. He presents the principles upon which he bases his argument
for the correct use of the body ( 12-17) .
a) He appeals to the law of expediency (12-14),
( 1 ) He states the law and its limitations:
(a) All things have a lawful purpose in God's plan
for His creatures.
(b) They may not, however, be used to enslave one.
( 2 ) He gives an example to show what he means :
(a) Food is for the belly; the belly is equipped to
handle food.
(b) But both of them will God bring to naught —
they, in other words, have only a temporary
value.
( 3 ) He applies the principle to their immoral conduct:
(a) The body was not made to serve fornication; it
was made to serve the Lord.
(b) The Lord will care for the body for God who
raised Christ will raise us up through His power.
b) His second principle is based on the law of marriage, "the
two become one flesh" ( 15 -20 ) .
( 1 ) He uses another series of questions to cause them to
think on the problem:
(a) "Don't you know that your bodies are members
of Christ?" That is, they are members of the
body of Christ, the church.
(b) An utterly abhorrent thought is expressed in the
next question, "Shall I take the members of
Christ's body and make them members of a
prostitute?"
(c) The application of the principle of unity: one
body (with the prostitute); one spirit (with
the Lord).
2. He gives instruction for overcoming the misuse of the body
(18-20).
a) He says, "Flee from fornication."
b) He tells why he says this:
( 1 ) All sins are without the body except the sin of fornica-
tion which is a sin against the body.
101
6:1 I CORINTHIANS
(2) The all important reason: The body is a temple of
the Holy Spirit. ■ •
c) Therefore you are to glorify God in the body because you
are not your own for you were bought with a price.
Going. to Court Before Pagan Judges. ( 1-11 ) -
Text
6:1-11. Dare any 'of you, having a matter against his neighbor, go
to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2 Or know
ye not that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world is
judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3
Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more, th.ngs that
pertain to this life? 4 If then ye have to judge things pertaining to
this life, do ye set them to judge who are of no account in the church?
5 I say this to move you to shame. What, cannot there be found
among you one wise man who shall be able to decide between his
brethren, 6 but brother goeth to law with brother, and that before
unbelievers? 7 Nay, already it is altogether a defect in you, that ye
have lawsuits one with another. Why not rather take wrong? why
not rather be defrauded? 8 Nay, but ye yourselves^ do wrong, and de-
fraud, and that your brethren. 9 Or know- ye not that the unrighteous
shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither forni-
cators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, . nor effeminate, nor abusers of
themselves with men, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards,
nor revilerSj nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11
And such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanc-
tified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord; Jesus Christ, and
in the Spirit of our God.
Commentary
Dare any of you. — Paul had expressed surprise that church people ne-
glect their duty remove the immoral person from their midst
(5:1-2). But when k came to the matter of brethren actually taking
their differences before pagan judges to the disgrace of the whole
church, he suggested that such a thing was all but unbelievable. Had
they so forgotten the divine nature and purpose of the church? He
had clearly pointed this out in the opening statements of this epistle.
They were the church of God, but one would never know by what
they were now doing.
h'avin'g a matter against his neighbor. — 'Literally, against another; but
the context shows that k is another in the family of God, for brother
102
£>
CHAPTER six 6:1,2
was going to court against brother. Our translation supplies the word
"neighbor" to bring out this idea. Difference could be expected to
arise even between brethren. Many differences that do arise, however,
could be avoided by the simple practice of the principles ot Christian-
ity. Selfishness and a desire to get what does not belong to one are
often at the root of such differences, The principle of forgiveness and
recognition of the rights of others will often settle such differences.
Jesus taught the disciples to pray, "forgive our debts, as we also have
forgiven our debtors." Perhaps greed and covetousness had led them
to forget such practice.
go to law before the unrighteous, — The pagan judge was looked
upon, and rightly so, as being unrighteous. It was probably difficult,
though not impossible, to obtain justice in such courts. Jesus tells of
one such judge who "feared not God, nor regarded man" (Lk. 18:4) .
Pilate was another such judge. He had examined the charges against
Jesus and found Him innocent, but for fear of what the Jews might
do, he consented to the crucifixion of our Lord. Before the multitudes,
he took water and washed his hands saying, "I am innocent of the
blood of this righteous man." Then he scourged Jesus and delivered
Him to be crucified (Matt. 27:24). Paul found the same situation
when he was brought before Gallio in Corinth (Acts 18:15) and
later before Festus (Acts 25:9-11). Certainly, the Corinthian breth-
ren were aware of this, but they disgraced themselves and the whole
church by taking their differences before these unjust judges.
not before the saints. — Jesus had given the rule to follow in cases of
difference between brethren (Matt. 18:15-35). The first thing was to
go to the brother alone with a view to gaining the brother. If this
failed he was to take one or two others with him in an effort to bring
about a reconciliation. If this also failed, he was to tell it to the
church. There was no suggestion here that would permit brethren to
go to court before pagans. The saints should be able to settle their
problems between themselves if they had proper regard for each other
and for the sacredness and divine purpose of the church.
the saints shall judge the world. — Paul had just asked the question,
"What have I to do with judging them that are without?" It was not
his business to regulate the conduct of those who were outside the
church; God was judging them. How then shall the saints judge the
world? Through the preaching of the gospel the saints do share in
Christ's rule in this age. 'And he that overcometh, and he that keep-
eth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the na-
tions: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the
103
6:2,3 I CORINTHIANS
potter are broken to shivers" (Rev. 2:26-27). "He that overcometh, I
will give to him to sit down with me in my throne as I also overcame,
and sat down with my Father in his throne (Rev. 3:21). Jesus indi-
cated that the apostles would sit on twelve thrones in the time when
men were being made new creatures— "the regeneration" — -judging
the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28). While this has to do with
the work of the apostles in which the saints also share through their
part in preaching the gospel, it is possible that it may suggest that
this rule may extend to all the world since the gospel is to be
preached in all the world. This, it must be admitted, is only a pos-
sible fulfillment of Paul's statement about the saints ruling the world.
The conduct of saints is regularly expected to judge (by compari-
son) the conduct of the world. If some men can do what Christ re-
quires, others can also. No man,- then, - can say that he is doing the
sinful thing because he can't help it. Peter makes it clear that the good
behavior of the saints, which the Gentiles behold, will answer the
charges against them in the day of judgment (I Pet. 2:11-12). This
can probably apply to situations of this life as well.
The point that Paul is making is this: Since your daily conduct will
judge that of the world, why attempt to reverse the process by going
to the unbelievers to decide your cases?
are ye untvorthy to 'judge the smallest matters?— -Two different courts
are under consideration. In one, the saints are acting as judges in the
highest courts as they judge the world and angels through the preach-
ing of the gospel. In the other, brethren are to handle cases pertaining
to this life such as differences among themselves. If the saints are to
sit in the higher courts, are they unworthy to sit in the courts that
handle things of this life? Must those who are destined to act as
judges in courts pertaining to angels seek a settlement of differences
between brethren in the courts that are presided over by the unjust
pagans who are not even counted among the believers,
we shall judge angels. — Not only will saints judge the world; but they
will also judge angels. Paul indicates that this will be true but does
not state when or how it is to be done. This suggests that we should
exercise caution in attempting to answer the problem.
Allmen will come before the judgment seat of Christ (II Cor.
5:10). Will this be true also of angels? What of angels that sinned
who are committed to pits of darkness until the judgment (IT Pet.
2:4)? An interesting suggestion that may 1 have : some bearing on the
issue is found in Paul's statement that the manifold wisdom of God
104
CHAPTER six 6:3-7
will be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly
places through the church (Eph. 3:10), The passage is difficult to
understand. Who are the principalities and powers? They may be the
heavenly hosts that surround the throne of God (Eph. 1:20-21), or
they may be — and this is probably correct — the forces of wickedness
that oppose Christ (Eph. 6:12). If the latter is true, then the church
is God's means of demonstrating to the angels that rebelled against
His authority that some men will serve Him out of their love for
Him. The church is made up of those who deliberately choose to do
God's will and refuse to do the bidding of Satan. If men can do this,
angels certainly could have done so. The character and conduct of the
saints then become a means of judging angels that sinned.
The point to remember, of course, is that saints will be exalted to
this highest responsibility and should therefore be able to take care of
such little things as the differences that may arise among them.
no account in the church, — Since they are to take care of matters that
pertain to their own members, who is to act in the capacity of judge?
Is it to be some unjust pagan? The very thought should have shamed
the brethren who were doing this thing. Men who were not even
members of the church were being asked to decide the problems of
brethren.
It does not seem that this could be a reference to the least esteemed
member of the church as if they were excusing themselves for going
to the pagan judges by saying that they had no confidence in their
own members.
one wise man, — Surely there was one wise man among them who
could decide these matters. Ordinarily, it would be the task of an
elder or the minister. The point is, he is to be a wise man, one who
is well trained in the Word and experienced in such life situations.
This does not prohibit the Christian from defending himself
against attacks of those who are not brethren. At Philippi, Paul was
unjustly treated, but he demanded that he be given his rights as a
Roman citizen (Acts 16:37). When he failed to get justice before
Festus, he exercised his right as a Roman and appealed to Caesar
(Acts 25:10).
a deject in you. — More accurately, defeat. Actually the church had al-
ready been defeated when it turned from brethren to pagans to settle
its differences. They were defeated in their responsibility to judge the
world and angels, for how could they act as judges in the higher
courts if they couldn't settle matters of this life. They were defeated
105
6:7-11 I CORINTHIANS
in their reputation in the community, for quarreling brethren would
have no standing even among pagans, They were defeated in their
mission, for they were to win men to Christ, but how could they do so
when they practiced things that caused the outsiders to look down
on them? They were defeated in their stand against Satan when they
permitted such things to arise, for strife and division are not of Christ.
Why not rather take wrong? — Rather than cause the church to be
disgraced before the pagan community, a better way would be to take
wrong or be defrauded. No personal injury or material loss could pos-
sibly justify an injury to the church which is a temple of God. Do the
brethren count themselves and their possessions of more value than
Christ and His church? Rather than let the church be defeated in its
mission to bring men to Christ, why not suffer a personal injury or
loss? Viewed from the standpoint of their inheritance in the kingdom
of God, the things men quarrel over are trivial indeed. One stands to
loose his inheritance by such quarrels.
Be not deceived. — They were being led astray by the supposed im-
portance of the things of this life. Paul calls them back to reality and
truth by reminding them that no unrighteous person, inside or outside'
of the church, is to inherit the kingdom of God. He presents a long
list of sinners to prove his point. It includes sins that were commonly
associated with idolatrous worship. Adulterers, sensual persons," and
homosexuals were guilty of, sinning against the body. Drunkenness
and abusive language often accompanied such sins. Thieves, covetous
persons, and robbers had no lot in God's kingdom. Were covetous-
ness and a desire to get What did not belong to them motivating
brethren to go to pagan courts?
such were some of you.- — The apostle does not say that all of them
had been guilty of these sins before- becoming Christians. Some of
them had been. What they were now doing meant that they were go-
ing back to the state from which they had been rescued by the gospel
of Christ. Peter has a word to say about such a thing: "It were better
for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after
knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto
them. It has happened unto them according to the true proverb, The
dog turning to his own vomit again, and the sow that had washed to
wallowing in the mire" (II Pet. 2:21-22).
ye were washed, ye were sanctified, ye were justified— -All three take
place in the one act of baptism. Baptism is a washing, not just in wa-
ter, but in the blood of Christ. Ananias told Saul to get himself bap-
106
CHAPTER SIX 6:11
tized and wash away his sins because he had called on the name of the
Lord (Acts 22:16). Water, of course, has power to cleanse "the filth
of the flesh" (I Pet. 3:21), but God also assigns it a place in His plan
to purify the soul by the blood of the Lamb (Eph. 5:26; Heb.
10:22). The blood of Christ blots out sin (Rom. 3:25), and cleanses
the conscience (Heb. 9:13-14). The sinner reaches the blood of
Christ when he is baptized into his death (Rom. 6:3-5; Rev. 7:14).
Sanctification is separation from sin and consecration to the service
of the Lord. It is accomplished by obedience to the command of
Christ that brings the sinner to His blood which separates him from
his sin. Peter says that you have purified your souls in obedience to
the truth (I Pet. 1:22). But you were redeemed from the vain man-
ner of your life with precious blood, as of a lamb, even the blood of
Christ (I Pet. 1:18-19)- John says, "the blood of Jesus his Son cleans-
eth us from all sin" (I John 1:7).
Justification means acquittal or pardon. It is the pardon granted by
the merciful heavenly Father to the sinner who has committed him-
self to the Lord Jesus Christ by faith that is expressed in obedience to
His Word. "Much more then, being justified by his blood, shall we be
saved from the wrath of God through him" (Rom. 5:9)- In baptism,
the blood of Christ washes away the sin and separates the sinner from
his past life. Because of this, God pardons the sinner and removes his
guilt. "Repent ye therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be
blotted out" (Acts 3:19). God says, "I will be merciful to their in-
iquities, and their sins will I remember no more" (Heb. 8:12). Par-
don, of course, does not remove the fact that the believer has sinned.
John says, "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar,
and his word is not in us" (I John 1:10).
After listing various classes of sinners, Paul says, "That's what
some of you used to be." Now that they have been washed, sanctified,
and justified, they are to act accordingly They should not permit cov-
etousness nor any other sin to cause them to bring the church into
disgrace by going to law before pagan judges.
in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. — The washing, sanctifying, and
pardoning were done in the name of Christ, that is, by His authority.
These things were also done within the limits set by the Spirit of our
God — the Holy Spirit. The apostles spoke under the direction of the
Holy Spirit when they stated the terms of pardon (John 20:21-23);
Acts 2:4, 37-39)- There is no acquittal from sins outside the limits
prescribed by the Spirit of God as revealed in the Word.
107
6:12,13 I CORINTHIANS
Sins Against the Body (12-20)
Text
6:12-20. All things are lawful for me; but not all things are ex-
pedient. All things are lawful for me; but I will not be brought un-
der the power of any. 13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats:
but God shall bring to nought both it and them. But the body is not
for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body: 14 and
God both raised the Lord, and will raise up us through his power.
15 Know ye not that your bodies are members of Christ? shall I then
take' away the members of Christ, and make them members of a har-
lot? God forbid. 16 Or know ye not that he that is joined to a harlot
is one body? for, The twa'n, saith he, shall become one flesh. 17 But
he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 18 Flee fornication. Every
sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth for-
nicaion sinneth against his own body. 19 Or know ye no that your
body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have
from God? and ye are not your own; 20 for ye were bought with a
price: glorify God therefore in your body.
Commentary ''.->■•■■.
All things are lawful for me.— "Ml things" must be understood in
the light of the context in which it is used. It cannot be assumed that
Paul is suggesting that there is a place for such a thing as fornication.
This and all other sins are proscribed by divine ed'ct. "The wages of
sin is death" (Rom. 6:23). Therefore, I assume that Paul means that
there is a lawful purpose for all things which God created, and that
purpose is not to be perverted through sin. That's why' Paul declares
that he will not be brought under the authority of anything. For ex-
ample, there is a purpose for the appetite for food, but that appetite
is not to be allowed to degenerate into the sin of gluttony. There is a
divine purpose in sex, but the desire related to it is, not to be perverted
into the sins of fornication and adultery. God intended, man to follow
His instruction as tp the purpose and use of food, sex, and all other
powers with which' man is endowed. Clear and specific regulat'ons on
all these matters are given in the Word of ,■ God for man's own good.
God shall bring to naught both it, and them.— Some things have a
time limit set for their usefulness. Food and the stomach have such a
limit, that is, they are limited to this life. The body has an eternal
purpose, however, for in it we are to serve and glorify the Lord in this
108
CHAPTER six 6:13-16
life, and in the end He will raise up our mortal bodies which shall
be changed into the likeness of the body of Christ's glory (Phil.
3:20-21). This subject is discussed at length in chapter fifteen.
not for fornication) but for the Lord,' — God intended that man should
have a family and that children should be brought up in the nurture
and admonition of the Lord. But the sins of immorality defeat the
purpose of the Lord. We can glorify God in the body here by acting
as Christians, and, in the glorified body of the resurrection, we can
serve Him eternally.
the Lord is for the body. — The Lord provided for all the needs of
man in the beginning. He provided food, work, mental and spiritual
activity, and gave him woman as his counterpart in every regard. The
Lord set wonderful powers in the body. He created it with remark-
able recuperative powers when disease strikes, and many other things
too numerous to mention. The Lord is also for the body so far as its
eternal destiny is concerned. In the grace of God, there is provision
. to conquer death, "for as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all
be made alive."
your bodies are members of Christ. — This is a spiritual relationship,
for "he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit" (v. 17). By using
the facts of the marriage relationship, the apostle is pointing out the
nature oi the sin of immorality. "The twain shall become one flesh."
The rule applied as well to immoral relationships of which some of
them were guilty. "Shall I take away the members of Christ, and
make them members of a harlot?" An utterly abhorrent thought. Yet
this is exactly what some of them were doing. What an awful sin to
so pervert the divine purpose of the body and destroy its relationship
to the Lord. Therefore, Paul says, "Flee fornication."
he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body, — There
are two ways as indicated in this context in which this is done. The
sin of fornication takes the body that belongs to Christ and makes it
a member of the harlot. That is a sin against the body for, although it
will raised from death, it will not be made to conform to the body
of His glory — a wonderful promise for saints only. Fornication is also
a sin against the body because it is intended to be a temple of the
Holy Spirit. Obviously, this can not be while the body is given over
to sin.
Paul is not discussing the fact that sin can bring disease and death
to the body. Bad as this is, the greater sin agamst the body is severing
it from its holy purpose in relation to Christ and the Holy Spirit.
Other sins — for example, idolatry — could destroy this relationship
109
6:16-19 I CORINTHIANS
too, but they are outside of the body, that is, they do not affect the
body in the same way, *
your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit,— -The fact that God, Christ,
and the Holy Spirit dwells in the saints is clearly taught in the Bible;
God is said to abide in them who keep His commandments. "Jesus
answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my
word: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and
make our abode with him" (John 14:23). "No man hath beheld
God at any time: if we love one another, God abideth in us, and his
love is perfected in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit" (I John
4:12-13). We know that God is in us because of what He has re-
vealed through His Spirit in the inspired Word.
Paul speaks of Christ living in him. "I have been crucified with
Christ; and it is no longer Ithat live, but Christ liveth in me" (Gal.
2:20). The Holy Spirit strengthens the inward man through equip*-
ping him with the whole armor of God so- that Christ may dwell in
the heart of the Christian through faith (Eph. 3:16-17).
A number of passages mention the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth
in you, he that raised up Jesus from the dead shall give life also to
your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Rom.
8:11).
The real problem is to determine what is meant by the facts so
clearly stated that God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit dwell in the Chris-
tian. One needs to be on guard here, for many fantastic claims that
cannot be substantiated by Scripture or practical reason have been
made through the ages since the Bible was written. Whatever may
be implied, it does not mean power to perform miracles, for this
power was given to the apostles when they were baptized in the Holy
Spirit and to those upon whom they laid hands. It does not mean il-
lumination that enables one to understand the Word, for God created
man with the capacity to understand thought in speech and writing,
God spoke through' the apostles and caused them to write in a man-
ner that can be understood without any further aid of divine illumina-
tion. By this understandable Word, of course, He sheds light on many
things we need to know. But we must observe the correct rules of in-
terpretation in order to benefit from the light of the Word (Psa.
119:105). It is clearly implied in every instance where it is men-
tioned that the one in whom the Spirit dwells is under obligation to
live such a life of purity as to reflect glory on God. It implies the nec-
essity of keeping God's commands to love one another, to be crucified
110
CHAPTER six 6:19,20
to the world, to overcome Satan by using the armor of God, and to
flee from fornication which is a sin against the body. In other words,
the indwelling of the Holy Spirit calls for a holy life before God.
The apostle is using metaphorical language when he says, "Your
body is a temple." A temple was a dwelling place for God. Pagans
made a literal thing of this by making idols and setting them up in
their temples. God's presence in the midst of ancient Israel was repre-
sented by the cloud that covered the tent of meeting and filled the
tabernacle (Ex. 40:34-35). Metaphorical language, it should be re-
membered, does not lessen the importance of the lesson that Chris-
tians are to conduct themselves in a manner that shows their
awareness of the presence of God at all times. What a difference
this would make in the life of the church today!
We may get some help in understanding indwelling by an interest-
ing explanation Paul presents in Rom. 7:15-20. He describes himself
before he became a Christian by saying that he found himself doing
things that he despised. Many a sinner has done the same thing. What
caused him to do it? He says it was "sin that dwelleth in me." Sin be-
came the tyrant that caused him to obey its will. He, of course, was
responsible for letting sin have such control. But the point is, he was
doing what Satan wanted him to do. That is what "indwelling" meant
in that case.
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit, then, may mean the intelligent,
willing, loving submission to what God says by the Holy Spirit in the
revealed Word so that what one thinks, determines, and feels is under
the direction of the Spirit through the Word. That, of course, will re-
quire the Christian to read and search the Bible to know what it ac-
tually says and to conduct himself in accordance with the divine
instruction. It is the Word that was revealed to the apostles through
the Holy Spirit that is to direct the life of the follower of Christ —
nothing mystical about this, but it is practical and understandable.
ye were bought with a price. — That price is the blood of Christ (I
Pet. 1:18-19; Eph. 1:6; Rom. 3:25). Then the Christian belongs to
God and is under obligation to serve Him,
glorify God therefore in your body. — Instead of serving sin and sin-
ning against the body by robbing it of its rightful place in God's plan
for His creatures, you are to prove by your conduct that you belong
to God and that His Spirit dwells in you.
Summary
The Corinthian church had failed to settle the problems between
themselves; they were guilty of bringing their differences before non-
111
i Corinthians
Christian courts with the result that the church was brought into
disrepute.
The apostle's amazement at such conduct is expressed in his ques-
tion, "Dare any of you who has a case against another take it to court
before the unjust instead of settling it before the saints? " That they
were qualified to settle matters that belong to this life— that is, things
that belong to "the lowest courts"— is indicated by the fact that the
saints are destined to judge not only the world but also angels. Since
this is so, why should they go before those who are not even a part
of the church but are a part of the group to be judged by the church
to have such completely discredited persons settle their differences?
They should have been ashamed. Surely there was some wise person
among them who was capable of deciding between brethren so that
brethren wouldn't have to go to court before unbelievers.
This meant just one thing: The church was suffering defeat in its
purpose and mission. It would have been better for them to suffer
wrong or be defrauded. Actually they were being unjust and were de-
frauding their brethren. Paul reminds them that the unjust — and it
seems that this takes in both those in the church and those outside as
well — shall not inherit the kingdom of God. In order that they might
understand exactly what he meant, Paul presented a list of various
types of sinners who will inherit the heavenly kingdom. Then he
adds, "Some of you used to be such sinners." As Christians, their
conduct should be different. Therefore, he says, "But you got your-
selves washed, you were sanctified, you were justified." They had sub-
mitted to baptism and had gotten their sins washed away in the blood
of Christ. As a result, the Lord had separated them from their sins
and God, the Judge, had pardoned their guilt. The pardon was
granted in the name of Christ within the limits set by the Spirit of
God. Christ removes the guilt; the Holy Spirit, through the inspired
apostles, reveals the terms of pardon.
Continuing the discussion of their failures in duty, Paul now con-
siders the "law of expediency" in relation to the use of the body. In-
stead of glorifying God in the body, some were using the body as an
instrument of sin. There is a limit placed on things that are called
lawful. God's lawful purpose of things He created and powers He
gave man can be abused. Paul argues that there is a lawful purpose
for food and leaves the reader to imply the very evident conclusion
that gluttony and drunkenness are sinful since they bring one under
the power of food and drink. Hastening to the real issue, he says that
immorality is an abuse of the body which was made for the service of
112
CHAPTER SIX
the Lord, Since your bodies are members of Christ, it is unthinkable
that you should make them members of a harlot. The law that makes
"the two one flesh" applies in such a case also, but the one who serves
the Lord becomes one spirit in relation to Him.
The urgent command is given: "Flee immorality." Always assume
the attitude of one running away from this sin because fornication is
a sin against the body which God intended to be the temple of the
Holy Spirit. Since Christians are bought with the price of the blood of
Christ, they are to glorify God in the body. Indwelling of the Spirit
in relation to the Christian implies the necessity of living a holy life
— one separated from sin.
Questions
1. What was Paul's attitude toward those in the church who were
taking their differences to pagan judges for settlement?
2. How does the context explain "neighbor" as a reference to the
brethren in the church and not pagan neighbors?
3. Is it possible for brethren to avoid differences between themselves
at all times?
4. What are some of the causes of differences?
5. What principle did Jesus present to help prevent such differences?
6. What was the general opinion about pagan judges as to the pos-
sibility of obtaining justice in their courts?
7. Why were they called unrighteous?
8. What experience did Paul have with such judges?
9- What procedure did Jesus suggest to settle problems between
brethren?
10. Before whom should the cases that arise between brethren be
presented for settlement?
11. How are saints to judge the world?
12. What does Peter say about the good conduct of the saints in re-
lation to the false charges of gentiles?
13. In what way were the church members reversing the procedure
involved in their responsibility to judge the world?
14. What is meant by judging the smallest matters?
15. How are we to understand the fact that the saints will judge
angels?
16. What happened to the angels that sinned?
17. Who are "the principalities and powers" mentioned in Ephesians?
18. In what way does the godly life of the church prove that Satan is
wrong in opposing God who created man capable of choosing
between right and wrong?
113
I CORINTHIANS
19. How does the reference to judging angels prove that it was
wrong to go before pagan judges to have the problems of breth-
ren settled?
20. Who are meant by the expression, "those who are of no account
in the church"?
21. What kind of persons should be sought out to help decide prob-,
lems between brethren?
22. In what way should he be wise?
23. Do these regulations about court action prevent church members
from defending themselves in court against outsiders?
24. What is the more accurate translation, of the word rendered
"defect"?
25. How was the church being defeated by going to court before
pagan judges?
26. Why better to take wrong or be defrauded?
27. Does this suggest that the Christian is to follow the way of pas-
sive non-resistarice?
28. Why did Paul say, "Be not deceived"?
29. How does the saint's lot in the kingdom of God help to conquer
the desire to get what may not belong to him in this life?
30., Why are the brethren reminded that there are some who will not
inherit the kingdom of God?
31. What sins had some of them been guilty of before they became
Christians?
32. Why doe's Paul call this to their attention?
33. How are sins washed away in baptism?
34. What does "sanctified" mean?
35. What bearing does this have on their problem?
36. What does "justified" mean?
37. What bearing does it have on the problem of going before pagan
judges?
38. What is meant by, "in the name of the Lord"?
39. What part does the Holy Spirit have in the acts of washing, sanc-
tification, and justification?
40. How are we to understand what is implied by the expression,
"All things"?
41. How does Paul apply the law of expediency to the issue of for-
nication in the church at Corinth?
42. How does Paul show that God has an eternal purpose for the
body of man?
43. How has the Lord provided for the needs of the body?
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CHAPTER SIX
44. What is meant by the statement that your bodies are members
of Christ?
45. How does Paul use the law of marriage to explain his point
about the sin of immorality?
46. What order did the apostle issue regarding fornication?
47. How does fornication become a sin against the body?
48. Do other sins affect the body? How?
49. What is said about God's presence in those who keep His word?
50. What did Paul say about Christ living in him?
51. Through what does Christ dwell in the heart of the Christian?
52. What is said about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?
53. Does "indwelling" imply miraculous powers?
54. How does "indwelling" of the Holy Spirit call for a holy life be-
fore God?
55. What Old Testament teaching helps to understand the expres-
sion, "your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit"?
56. How does Paul's reference to "Sin that dwelleth in me" by way
of contrast help to understand what is meant by the indwelling
of the Holy Spirit?
57. What is required by way of character and conduct of the one in
whom the Spirit dwells?
58. What price was paid for those in whom the Holy Spirit dwells?
For Discussion
1. Is the church of which you are a member actually glorifying God
before the community?
2. If not, in what particulars is it failing to do so?
3. What practical suggestion can you make to correct any failure in
this regard?
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CHAPTER SEVEN
Analysis
Paul now turns his attention to a matter about which the church
had written (7:1-9).
1. Their first question was about the advisability of remaining
unmarried. It may have been framed like this: Is it better to
remain unmarried than to assume the responsibilities of mar-
riage?
2. The apostle answers the question, recognizing that' there are
two sides to the problem (1-6).
a) He says, "It is good for a man not to touch a woman, that
is, the unmarried state' is commendable ( 1 ) . This is not
to say that it is superior or to imply that marriage is in any
way wrong.
b) Low moral standards with which they were perfectly famil-
iar and about which he had written in chapters five and six
form a basis for considering the advisability of marriage
(2-6).
(1) Because of fornication which reflects the generally
low state of morals in Corinth, a man is to have his
own wife, and a woman is to have her own husband.
This in no way overlooks the very high regard with
• which he viewed marriage, but it does consider the
problem as Christians faced it at Corinth.
(2) Each man is to have his wife, and each woman her
own husband. Thus marriage, in accord with the orig-
inal plan for the home, was a safeguard against the
temptations involved in their society.
(3 ) Husband and wife have mutual obligations.
(a) The husband is to give the wife what is due her.
(b) The wife is to give the husband what is due him.
(4 ) This involves the principle of the right over the body:
(a) The wife does not have the right over her own
body; that belongs to the husband.
(b) The husband does not have the right over his
own body; that belongs to his wife.
(5 ) A possible exception to this principle:
(a) The general practice: Do not defraud one an-
other.
116
CHAPTER SEVEN
(b) Exception: By mutual consent for a limited time
for a holy purpose such as a season of prayer,
they may separate and then be together again.
(c) The reason for this restriction: That Satan not
tempt them because of incontinency.
(d) This temporary separation is a matter of permis-
sion, not commandment.
3. Returning to the main problem about marriage, the apostle
expresses his personal preference, yet recognizes that all are
not alike in this matter (6-7).
a) I wish that all were as myself — unmarried. This must be
understood in the light of the peculiar problem at Corinth
and his own self-control which he recognizes is a gift from
God, but all do not possess it.
b) Each one has his own gift from God; Paul's enabled him
to withstand temptation in the midst of low moral con-
ditions; another's enabled him to assume the responsibilities
of family life in times of distress.
4. He sums up what he has said in answer to their question; Ad-
dressing both those who have never married and widows who
may be eligible to remarry he says,
a) It is good for them to abide unmarried just as he is.
b) If they lack continency, it is better for them to marry than
to suffer uncontrollable desires.
B. He now turns his attention to those who are already married (10-
24).
1 . The married state is not to be set aside ( 10-16 ) .
a) He gives an order that is in accord with what the Lord had
already said (10-11).
( 1 ) The wife is not to depart from her husband.
(2 ) What to do if she should depart: Remain unmarried
or else be reconciled to her husband — no suggestion
here that God sanctions her being joined to another.
(3 ) The same rule is for the husband: He is not to leave
his wife.
b) As an inspired apostle, he gives additional instruction to
those who are married ( 12-16) .
( 1 ) He considers what must have been a very real prob-
lem to them — a Christian married to an unbeliever.
117
I CORINTHIANS
(a) If a brother has an unbeliever for a wife — this is
assumed as a real possibility — and she is wiling to
live with him, he is not to leave her. ,
(b) If a Christian woman has a husband who is not a
believer — this also is assumed as a real possibility
— she is not to leave him.
(c) The reason for this instruction is seen in the fact
that the sacredness of the marriage relation is
guaranteed in the one who is a believer; other-
wise, the children would also be unclean.
(2) What if the unbeliever should depart? That is also
considered as a real possibility* The answer: Let him
depart.
(a) The brother or sister is not under obligation to
maintain a home under such conditions.
(b) God intended that there should be peace in the
home.
(3) After discussing these real possibilities, he returns to
his original instruction not to set aside the marriage
relationship and presents a great challenge to the be-
liever (16).
(a) How do you' know whether or not you may save
your husband?
(b) How do you know whether or not you may save
your wife?
He sets forth the rule that he follows in all the churches (17-
24).
a) Whatever one's state may be, as the Lord distributed His
gifts and God has extended His call, live in it.
b) Its application to circumcision.
(1 ) Status as to circumcision or uncircumcision is not to be
changed.
(2 ) The thing that matters is keeping the commandments
of God.
c) Its application to slavery.
(1) Status as to slavery or freedom not to be changed
unless freedom should be possible.
(2) The principle involved: the slave becomes the Lord's
freedman.
(3 ) Don't become slaves of men.
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CHAPTER SEVEN 7:1,2
d) Let each man abide with God in the state in which he was
called.
C. Paul's judgment as an inspired apostle concerning the unmarried
(25-40).
1. It is good — he doesn't say that this is the only thing or that it
is required or that it is the superior way — for a man to be as
he is (25-28).
a) This is not a commandment; it is the advice of one who
has obtained the mercy of the Lord to be an apostle and
who is trustworthy.
b) This does not set aside the marriage relationship except in
the situation which they were facing — "the distress that is
upon us."
c) He advises the married to remain married and the un-
married not to seek a wife.
d) Marriage, however, is not a sin, but it will be accompanied
with distress.
2. He would have them free from cares involved in marriage (29-
35).
a) The fashion of the world is changing — marriage according
to the divine plan is limited to this life (28-31).
b) He would have them free from domestic cares that they
might be free to attend to the things of the Lord (32-34).
c) He is not forbidding marriage lest by so doing he might
cause them to sin ( 35 ) .
3. His advice to fathers concerning their daughters of marriage-
able age (36-38).
a) Marriage is not a sin; if he so determines, let them marry.
b) It may be better, if he does not give her in marriage.
4. His advice as one who has the Spirit of God to direct him as
to the remarriage of a widow (39-40) .
a) The wife is bound to the husband as long as he lives.
b) If he is dead, she is free to marry, only in the Lord.
c) In his opinion, she is happier if she abides as she is.
d) This he says as one who has the Spirit of God — it is the
inspired directive on the subject of marriage.
Text
1:1-9 ■ Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote: It is good for
a man not to touch a woman. 2 But, because of fornications, let each
man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
119
7:3-9 I CORINTHIANS
3 Let the husband render unto the wife her due: and likewise also
the wife unto the husband. 4 The wife hath not power over her own
body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power
over his own body, but the wife. 5 Defraud ye not one the other, ex-
cept it be by consent for a season, that ye may give yourselves unto
prayer, and may be together again, that Satan tempt you not because
of your incontinency. 6 But this I say by way of concession, not of
commandment. 7 Yet I would that all men were even as I myself.
Howbeit each man hath his own gift from God, one after this man-
ner, and another after that.
8 But I say to the unmarried and to widows, It is good for them
if they abide even as I. 9 But if they have not continency, let them
marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
things About Which They had Written (1-9)
Commentary
Now concerning things whereof ye wrote. — Up to this point Paul had
been writing about things that had been reported to him by those of
the house of Chloe. These things were division, neglect of duty in
relation to moral issues, going to court before pagan judges, and the
abuse of the body which the Lord intended to be a temple of the Holy
Spirit.
The Corinthians, evidently desiring additional information on cerr
tain matters, had written to the apostle. Was this in response to what
he had taught in the "lost epistle" or was k because they felt a need
for more information than they had received when he was present
with them? There is no good way for us to answer these thought
provoking questions. Interpretation of his answers does not depend on
our knowledge of what prompted them to ask for the information.
They were concerned about the problem of marriage. We can not
be sure just what other questions were asked, but it may be that the
rest of the book is given over to the answer of their questions. It is
possible, of course, that their only question was about marriage. The
rest of the book, then, is additional help which he knew they needed
as they faced the problems of their day. We might also ask if chapters
twelve through fifteen come under the heading of things about which
they had written? In all probability they do, but we cannot be sure.
The expression, "now concerning" is an indication that all this section
may have been written in response to their letter. See 7:1, 25; 8:1;
12:1; 16:1.
120
CHAPTER SEVEN 7:2
The topics discussed in. this section pertain to marriage, idolatry,
worship, the Lord's supper, spiritual gifts, the resurrection, and the
collection for the saints.
It is good, for a man not to touch a woman. — The question back of
this answer was something like this: Is it commendable for a Chris-
tian not to marry? Or it may have been framed like this: Is it better
to remain unmarried than to assume the responsibilities of marriage
in this time of distress. The answer is: It is commendable for a man not
to touch a woman. This is to those who had never married. It simply
states that the unmarried state is commendable. It does not say that
the unmarried state is superior to the married state or that there is
anything wrong about marriage, for "marriage is honorable" (Heb.
13:4).
But, because of fornication. — The low state of morals in Corinth was
well known. Paul's answer takes this into consideration as well as what
he had just written in chapters five and six on the subject. This is not
to say that the only reason for getting married is to avoid immoral
relationships. Some have taken this as an indication of Paul's low
estimate of marriage. On the contrary, we should remember what he
wrote to the Ephesians on the subject (Eph. 5:22-23). See also II Cor.
11:1-3- The relation of husband to wife is like that of Christ to the
church. The husband is to love his wife, and the wife is to be faith-
ful to her own husband. No one has ever glorified marriage more than
the apostle Paul.
Two things were faced by the church at Corinth that led to Paul's
answer: (1) the prevalence of the sin of fornication, and (2) the
fact that some of them did not have the gift of continence such as he
had.
each man his own wife, each woman her own husband. — Paul upholds
the original standard for the home as seen in Gen. 2:18-25. He most
assuredly forbids immoral conduct. Faithfulness to the marriage vows
is required of both husband and wife — nothing one-sided about this.
Each one has an obligation to the other. The husband is to give to the
wife what he owes her, and the wife is to give to the husband what she
owes to him. This regulation points to the cause of so much marital
trouble — selfishness on the part of husband or of wife. While Paul is
speaking in this context about sex, the problem is far greater than
that one issue. It involves every relationship of husband and wife. "In
lowliness of mind each counting other better than self" is a principle
that would save many a marriage ( Phil 2:3). When each partner is
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7:2-5 I CORINTHIANS
concerned about the other more than self, the problems of married
life are greatly reduced.
power over her own body, power over his own body— -How many
think about this when they enter into the marriage contract? As to
the Christian's body, Paul said, "you are not your own." The body is
the Lord's. As to partners in marriage, neither husband nor wife can
say, "I have the right over my own body." That right, Paul declares,
belongs to the other partner — the wife over the husband's body and
the husband over the wife's body. With selfishness excluded and love
serving as the guiding principle of married life, this is an ideal ar r
rangement. It cannot be safely ignored except at the peril of the
marriage itself. Paul adds, "Defraud not one another." Do some
husbands or some wives cheat in this matter? Check the divorce rec-
ords for the answer. ,
except it be by consent for a season. — An exception to the principle
just announced is granted. This exception, however, is under rigicj
regulations. It must be by mutual consent and for a holy purpose, and
it can be for a limited time only. Selfishness is ruled out. This can'f
be a whim of either partner; both are to agree to it. Where love for
each other and unselfishness govern the actions of husband and wifei
such agreement should not be difficult to arrange.
that ye may give yourselves unto prayer.— Just what situation would
make it desirable for husband or wife to be relieved of the home
responsibilities in order to give one's self to prayer, is not stated. It
may be entirely personal, for the Lord must come before even the
dearest one in the earthly relationship. But the need to be alone in
prayer is. not to.be prolonged indefinitely; it is for a limited time only,.
It would be quite easy for a selfish person to pretend that his desirf
to attend to religious duties is adequate reason for avoiding responsi?
bilities that belong to the home life. God ordained both the home and
the church relationship, and it is not necessary to neglect one to care
for the other except, as Paul indicates, for a brief season.
Prayer in the home by both husband and wife is essential to the
best relationship in the home. Children should be reared in the atmos-
phere of prayer. They should learn that prayer is the holy privilege
which God gives to His children to talk to Him at any time about
anything anywhere. This puts a grave responsibility on parents ito
conduct themselves and their families in such a manner that they can
really pray together. A quarreling family, a nagging wife, or an
abusive husband will make it utterly impossible to maintain an atmos-
phere of prayer about the home.
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CHAPTER SEVEN 7:5-7
There are times when each person needs to be alone with his God.
Jesus often withdrew alone to a quiet place to pray. If Our Lord
needed this quiet time for meditation and prayer, how much more do
we need it? Paul recognized such a need, but he reminded the church
that this did not free them from other responsibilities with.n the
family. After the brief time that was mutually agreed upon, husband
■and wife were to be together again.
khat Satan tempt you not. — Satan's power to temp either husband or
wife is an important factor in all that Paul has said on the expediency
of marriage. Lack of self-control in sexual matters is Satan's invita-
tion to attack. The wise husband or the wise wife will guard the one
he or she loves to prevent this from happening. Sex can become the
most degrading thing in the experience of man and woman, but when
it is controlled by Christian love and an unselfish spirit, it can became
a beautiful relationship which God has granted to husband and wife.
concession, not commandment. — What Paul has said about agreement
as to a time of prayer is not be taken as a command. It is permissive.
It is left to the intelligence of husband and wife. Perhaps no two
people are alike in their ability to exercise self-control in these matters.
No general command could be given to regulate such periods of de-
votion to prayer. Therefore the apostles says that this suggestion is a
matter of concession, not commandment.
/ would that all men were even as I myself. — Paul evidently is re-
ferring to his gift of continence which was a gift from God. This in
ho way condemns another who may not possess such a gift. Each one
has his own gift from God; for one it may be the gift of continence;
for another it may be the ability to bear patiently and lovingly the
responsibilities of the home with Christian consideration for the other
partner.
Jesus mentioned those who make "themselves eunuchs for the
kingdom of heaven's sake" (Matt. 19:12). This is undoubtedly the
same gift that Paul possessed. He was content to give all his time
and concern to the preaching of the word of the cross. He in no way,
however, leaves room for one to assume that he was not entirely in
favor of marriage within the regulations of the Lord.
This passage is sometimes used to raise the question about Paul's
marital status. Was Paul a married man when he wrote this? Had he
ever been married? We have no good answer to these questions. Some
assume that his remark about giving his consent to the death of
Stephen (Acts 22:20) meant that he was a member of the Sanhedrin
and that would require him to be a married man. There is no real
123
7:7-9 I CORINTHIANS
evidence that he was ever a member of that body. He could have
agreed to what was being done without being an official. He mentions
his "right to lead about a wife that is a believer" (I Cor 9:5), but
this does not indicate that he was or ever had been married. It seems
quite certain that he was not accompanied by a wife at the time of
his writing to the Corinthians.
Paul's great love for Timothy (I Tim. 1:2) and his beautiful trib-
ute to Timothy's home background show something of the esteem
with which he looked upon home ties. '<
Whether he was married or not makes no difference in what he
teaches on the subject for he writes as the apostle of Christ. Hence
what he says is Christ's teaching given through His inspired apostle. *
to the unmarried and to widows. — ^This returns to the question about
which they had written: Is it commendable not to marry? The answer,
given after explaining regulations for marriage, is "yes." Later in this
chapter he discusses the situation which the Corinthians faced that had
a bearing on his answer. They were living in times of distress. If,
however, they did not possess the God-given gift of continence* hk
says, "Let them marry." In other words, they are not to assume that
there is something superior about refraining from marriage; marriage
is commendable and so also is the unmarried state.
better to marry than to bum.-^-The burning desire of one who does
not possess the gift of continence is to be quenched within the God-
given regulations for husband and wife, not in the sinful practice of
fornication. See notes on 6:16.
■■■■-■ ■''■ : '•' Text
-7:10-24. But unto the married I give charge, yea not I, but the
Lord, That the wife depart not from her husband 11 (but should she
depart, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her hus*
band); and that the husband leave not his wife. 12 But to the rest
say L not the Lord: If any brother hath an unbelieving wife, and she
is content to dwell with him, let him not leave her. 13 And the
woman that, hath an unbelieving husband, and he is content to dwell
with her, let her not. leave her husband. 14 For the unbelieving hus-
band is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife, is sanctified
iti the brother: else were your children unclean; but now are they
holy. 15 Yet if the unbelieving departeth, let him depart: the brother
or the sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called
us in peace., 16 For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt
save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O husband, whether thou
shalt save thy wife? 17 Only, as the Lord hath distributed to each
124
CHAPTER SEVEN 7:10
man, as God hath called each, so let him walk. And so ordain I in
all the churches. 18 Was any man called being circumcised? let him
not become uncircumcised. Hath any been called in uncircumcision?
let him not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncir-
cumcision is nothing; but the keeping of the commandments of God.
20 Let each man abide in that calling wherein he was called. 21 Wast
•thou called being a bondservant? care not for it: nay, even if thou
canst become free, use it rather. 22 For he that was called in the Lord
being a bondservant, is the Lord's freedman: likewise he that was
called being free, is Christ's bondservant. 23 Ye were bought with a
price; become not bondservants of men. 24 Brethren, let each man,
wherein he was called, therein abide with God.
Directions for the Married ( 10-24 )
Commentary
Unto the married,, I give charge. — Paul, speaking as an apostle of
Christ, gives direction to those who are already married. It is in com-
plete agreement — how could it be assumed to be otherwise since he
is writing under the direction of the Holy Spirit — with what the Lord
had said. This is a good answer to those who assume that the "red
letter" sections of the New Testament are superior to the words of
the apostles. Actually, their words are the words of Christ as He
spoke them by His Spirit through the apostles (John 1 6 : 1 4 ) .
but the Lord, — The apostle gives us the inspired interpretation of what
Jesus said on this matter as recorded in Matt. 19:3-9- Jesus spoke to
men who were under the jurisdiction of the law of Moses. He re-
minded them that the marriage law that had been in force since the
beginning was still in force. Moses had made certain exceptions be-
cause of the hardness of their hearts, but this did not annul the orig-
inal law of marriage. Jesus reminded them that the one who put away
his wife except for fornication and married another committed adul-
tery, that is, the wife so put away was stigmatized by his act as an
adulteress. See Rom. 7: 3- The one who married a wife put away in
this manner also committed adultery.
This inevitably raises the question of the right of the "innocent"
party to remarry. To refuse the "innocent" one the right to marry
again, it is said, is "unfair." Perhaps this is true, but who is to decide
the question of innocence? What did the inspired apostle say as he
interpreted the word of Our Lord on this subject? The answer is given
in just two places in the New Testament. Paul discusses it in the
Roman letter. There he says that a woman is bound to the husband
125
7:10 I CORINTHIANS
while he lives (Rom. 7:2), To make the matter clear beyond the
possibility of misunderstanding, he adds, "if the husband die, she is
discharged from the law of the husband." The only other reference to
the duration of the binding effect of marriage is in First Corinthians
chapter seven. The same law is upheld, "A wife is bound so long time
as her husband liveth; but if the husband be deady she is free to be
married (I Cor. 7:39).
Many commentators assume that the innocent one is given the right
to marry again. Every one acting on such opinion should for his own
sake weigh carefully what Paul has said on the matter. Consider this
also: The nineteenth chapter of Matthew which gives Jesus' teaching
on marriage and divorce also tells what He said to the rich young
ruler about eternal life. Because they were living under the law of
Moss, Jesus told him to keep that law. When the people on the Day
of Pentecost — the beginning of the Christian age — asked what to do
to be saved, they were told by the inspired apostles to repent and be
baptized for the remission of their sins (Acts 3:28). Now if we do not
go tb Matthew nineteen for the answer to the important question
about what to do to be saved; why should we do so to the neglect of
the apostle's inspired interpretation of what Jesus said on the matter
of 'marriage and divorce? This seems to be avalid argument, and it
should be considered by those who would interpret Matthew nineteen
as permitting remarriage under the gospel covenant.
That the Wife depart hokjrom her husband.— No exception allowed
by this categorical statement! The same rule applies to husband: "that
the husband leave hot his wife." I understand this to say clearly that
remarriage is not permitted under the regulations of the New Cov-
enant. The law that was ordained in the beginning and upheld by
Jesus is in force in the Christian age.
This presents a= real problem on which the apostle did, not write.
What is one to do who, may have divorced and remarried without
knowing what the New Testament teaches on the subject? What I
say here can only be expressed as an opinion based on what the Bible
says in general about forgiveness of sin. Suppose that divorce and re-
marriage is a violation of the law of God. It then become a sin to do
so. And if this is true, there is only one thing to do about it: "repent
and pray God- if perchance the thought of the heart may be for-
given" (Acts 8:22). This would, of course, require baptism in the
case Of those who have not been baptized (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16).
126
CHAPTER SEVEN 7:10-12
John says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to
forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from ail unrighteousness" (I
John 1:9)- Since there is a question about the matter, the conscienti-
ous Christian couple who may be involved, it would seem, should
determine not to repeat the mistake and ask God to forgive if they
have violated His law.
Should such couples separate? This is another problem on which we
do not have Scriptural teaching. In so many cases, it would be im-
possible to do so. The sin — if it is a sin — is in the divorcing and
remarrying. Perhaps it would be better not to try to return to the
former partners, since in so many cases it could not be done anyway.
The alarming problem of divorce with its effects on the children
of the nation should cause Christian people to avoid the appearance of
approving it. The church should hold before its young people, by
teaching and by the example of elders and deacons, the ideal marriage
relations as ordained by God in the beginning.
if she should, depart. — This directive is clear enough. She is to remain
unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. This is in accord with
the above interpretation of remarriage. It is not permitted by the in-
spired teaching of the New Testament. The wife who leaves her
husband is not free to marry another man while her husband lives,
only if he is dead. The same rule applies to the husband; he is not to
leave his wife.
But to the rest say I, not the Lord. — Some have assumed that Paul is
giving his private opinion which is not substantiated by the Lord. On
the contrary, he is speaking as the Lord's inspired apostle. The Lord
through His inspired apostle is giving additional information to guide
those who find themselves in a situation which did not exist during
His personal ministry. The church was not established until the day of
Pentecost. Now a situation arises that calls for inspired instruction.
What is the Christian to do who finds himself married to an unbe-
liever? If the unbelieving partner — husband or wife — is willing to
maintain the home, the Christian is not to leave husband or wife. This
answers the contention of some who say that marriage is not valid
before the Lord unless both parties are Christians. The facts are that
the law of marriage was given in the beginning and was upheld by
the Lord in His teaching to the Jews and is, undoubtedly, to be looked
upon as valid for all — Christian and non-Christian.
For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife. — The rule ap-
plies to either party, husband or wife. Marriage is holy, and the un-
believing partner in diis holy relationship is sanctified in the believer,
127
7:12-15 I CORINTHIANS
that is, the marriage relationship is sacred because of the one partner
that belongs to the Lord. If this were not so, the children of such
marriages would be unclean, but now they are holy. That is to say, the
marriage is in accord with the holy regulations of the Lord; the chil-
dren of such marriages are hot to be considered as being born out of
wedlock.
A word of caution must be given here: This matter of sanctification
has to do with the sanctity or the marriage relationship. It does not
say that an unbeliever who is married to a Christian is saved from his
sins just because he is married to a. believer. Salvation and sanctifica-
tion in respect to sin are, after all, personal issues. "He that believeth
and is baptized shall be saved," said jesus (Mark 16:15-16). When
we remember that Paul was speaking about the sacredness of the mar-
riage relationship and not personal salvation, there is no problem.
Yet if the: unbelieving departeth.— -This action is on the part of the
one who has not submitted to the law of Christ. The Christian is not
to initiate the action and — although it is not so stated in this context
— is surely not to be the cause of the unbeliever departing. Who but
the Lord can really know whether or not the believer may be guilty of
such conduct or attitude as to actually cause the unbeliever to depart?
The Christian is under obligation to conduct himself in accord with
the obligations involved in the marriage contract even if he is; married
to an unbeliever (vs. 3-5). This may often present a very difficult
problem to the Christian; but, if he really wants to honor his Lord,
he can find grace to cope with the situation. ■• ' '
not under bondage in such. — Some assume that this frees, the believer
to remarry. However, the rule is plainly stated without exceptions in
verse 39: "A wife is bound for so long time as her husband liveth;
but if the husband be dead, she is free to be married." In verse, eleven,
Paul had said that the one who departs is to remain unmarried or
else be reconciled to her husband. Some, of course, will argue that
these rules do not apply to the case in hand. But when the whole
body of instruction for marriage is considered, it is difficult to find a
valid reason for assuming that remarriage is permitted except when
one partner is dead.
What, then, is : meant by "'not under bondage"? No one is bound
to maintain an impossible situation. An unbeliever who will not sub-
mit to the law of Christ will. da as he pleases. Even the most loving
Christian wife or husband may not be able to maintain the home if
the unbeliever decides to leave. Let him depart; that may well be-all
one Can do. ,
128
CHAPTER SEVEN 7:15-21
but God hath called us in peace. — This is a difficult passage. Does it
mean that the believer is not under obligation to live with an un-
believing husband or wife unless there can be peace in the home?
Surely it is hard to have a home without peace. Or does it mean that
the believer is under obligation to maintain peace in the home if at all
possible? Probably the latter, because of the reason suggested in the
next sentence.
For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband,
— This, of course, applies also to a husband who is a believer The whole
issue is just this: Are you. really interested in the salvation of the un-
believer? Too often the interest is in getting rid of the other partner,
using his unbelief as a pretext. Taken with the statement about peace,
this would seem to say that the Christian is to maintain peace in the
home with a view to winning his unbelieving partner to the Lord.
Unless one can live as a real Christian under such trying conditions,
there is little reason to expect the unbeliever to change.
And so I ordain in all the churches. — The rule applies to all the
churches, Corinth included. Each was to live in the state in which he
was called, that is, in whatever state one found himself on becoming
a Christian, let him be content with it and live as a Christian without
disrupting such things as marriage, bondage, status as Jew or gentile.
This rule is given to those who may have assumed that they were
freed from the marriage vows by becoming Christians.
Circumcision. — The meaning of circumcision is to be taken from its
use in the case of Abraham who was found righteous because of his
faith in God before he was commanded to be circumcised (Romans
4:9-12). Circumcision become a mark that indicated that God ac-
knowledged his righteousness. To many, this became a mark of ac-
ceptance by the Lord regardless of their actual status before Him. In
itself, then, circumcision counted for nothing. The real question was
the attitude oi the heart (Rom. 2:28-29). Since this was true, the
Christian was not to be concerned about such outward marks.
Wast thou called being a bondservant? — One did not need to change
even slavery in order to become a Christian. But see the beautiful
story of Onesimus, the runaway slave who became a Christian ( Phile-
mon 1-11). What does Paul mean by saying, "use it rather"? Some
suggest that he is saying that a slave is to use his slavery to the credit
of the cause of Chtist (Eph. 6:5-6). On the other hand, it is more
likely that he is saying if the opportunity to become free presents
itself, use it. Human bondage cannot long endure where there is an
129
7:21-24 I CORINTHIANS
atmosphere of Christian freedom. If the truth as Christ taught it
were actually accepted by men everywhere, freedom wbuld spread to
all human relationships. The only true freedom is found in being
"Christ's bondservant."
Ye were bought with a ^f/ce,— This is the second time that Paul has
reminded his readers of this. See 6:20. Actually they belonged to the
Lord, for He bought them with His precious blood. They were not to
be slaves to the sin of immorality. Even if they were in human bond-
age, they were the Lord's freedmen.
become not bondservants of men, — The Christian is not to have his
conduct regulated by human masters. Christ has given h.m direction
through the inspired apostle whether he is a slave or a free man. No
human bondage is to supersede this divine relationship.
therein abide with God. — Heaven is the Christian's home. He should
learn to live with that thought in mind. On earth he has a work to do,
glorifying God in the body. The thought of abiding with God in this
life helps to bear the trials and hardships that come to His children.
Text
7:25-40. Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the
Lord: but I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of
the Lord to be trustworthy. 26 I think therefore that this is good by
reason of the distress that is upon us, namely, that it is good for a
man to be as he is. 27 Art thou bound unto a wife? Seek not to
be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. 28 But
shouldest thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin
marry, she hath not sinned. Yet such shall have tribulation in the
flesh: and I would spare you. 29 But this I say, brethren, the time is
shortened, that henceforth both those that have wives may be as
though they had none; 30 and those that weep, as though they wept
not; and those that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and those
that buy, as though they possesed not; 31 and those that use the
world, as not using it to the full: for the fashion of this world passeth
away. 32 But I would have you to be free from cares. He that is un-
married is careful for the things of the Lord, how he may please the
Lord: 33 but he that is married is careful for the things of the world,
how he may please his wife, 34 and is divided. S6 also the woman
that is unmarried and the virgin is careful for the things of the Lord,
that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is mar-
ried is careful for the things of the world, how she may please her
husband. 35 And this I say for your own profit; not that I may cast
a snare upon you, but for that which is seemly, and that ye may at-
130
CHAPTER seven 7:25,26
tend upon the Lord without distraction, 36 But if any man thinketh
that he behaveth himself unseemly toward his virgin daughter, if she
be past the flower of her age, and if need so required), let him do
what he will; he sinneth not; let them marry. 37 But he that standeth
stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power as touching
his own will, and hath determined this in his own heart, to keep his
own virgin daughter, shall do well. 38 So then both he that giveth
his own virgin daughter in marriage doeth well; and he that giveth
her not in marriage shall do better. 39 A wife is bound for so long
time as her husband liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is free to
be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. 40 But she is happier
if she abide as she is, after my judgment: and I think that I also have
the Spirit of God.
Concerning the Unmarried (25-40)
Commentary
Now concerning virgins. — Up to this point Paul has answered the
questions about the expediency of marriage and has given direction
to those who are already married. His third topic deals with unmarried
daughters who are still under the direction of their fathers. A closing
statement on marriage gives his inspired advice to widows whose
husbands are dead and who might want to remarry.
The term "virgin" is both masculine and feminine in Greek. It is
used with reference to men in Rev. 14:4. The consensus of commenta-
tors is that the term in this context refers to unmarried daughters.
no command of the Lord. — Once again he must remind his readers
that the Lord had not spoken on this matter but that He is now doing
so through His inspired apostle.
I give my judgment. — The apostle expresses his inspired opinion
based on accurate knowledge. He certainly does not set up his "opin-
ion" as a mere man against the command of God. He is speaking as
one "who has obtained mercy of the Lord." It was by the mercy of
the Lord that he received his apostleship (I Rim. 1:12-14). The ex-
pressed opinion or judgment of the apostle is therefore equal in
authority to the "command" of the Lord, since it is delivered by the
Lord through His trustworthy servant.
by reason of the distress that is upon us. — Many assume that Paul
was thinking of the end of the world and the second coming of
Christ when he wrote these verses, but there is no good reason to do
so. It is a fact that the apostles along with the other disciples of Jesus
thought that He was to set up a temporal kingdom while He was
131
7:26-28 i corinthians
on earth. Some came to take Him by force and make Him their King
after the feeding of the five thousand (John 6:15). Even James and
John who may have been cousins of Jesus sent their mother to ask
that one of them might sit on the right hand and the other on the left
in His kingdom (Matt. 20:20-28). They undoubtedly .thought of the
kingdom as an earthly one that would restore the glory to Israel
which had been known in the days of David and Solomon. Jesus
could not grant such a request for the position of honor in the king-
dom — the spiritual one-— was for those for whom it had been pre:
pared by the Father, that is, the humble who like Jesus were great
because they were servants. The Emmaus disciples had hoped that
Jesus would redeem Israel from Roman bondage (Lk. 24:21). The
apostles persisted in this concept of the kingdom until Jesus, after
the resurrection, corrected their views (Acts 1:6). After Pentecost,
when the kingdom had come in truth and Jesus had been declared to
be at the right hand of God (Acts 2:33), no apostle is on record as
assuming that Christ was to come in his life time. Despite this fact,
commentators persist in saying that the apostles expected Him to
return in their day. It is true that some of the church people had mis-
understood Paul on the matter and that he had written to the Thes-
salonians to correct their misunderstanding (II Thes. 2:1-5). To say
that he wrote what was not true is to question his inspiration.
What then did Paul mean by the distress that was upon the Corin-
thians? The distress was not impending, but present. We know for
one thing that Christian people were being subjected to persecution of
various sorts. See the history of persecution in the book of Acts. Paul
had met Priscilla and Aquila when he was at Corinth. They had
recently come from Rome because Caludius had commanded all Jews
to ieave Rome (Acts 18:1-3) . Wars, depressions, responsibilities of
caring for a home — all these might have been in the apostle's mind
when he mentioned the distress that they faced. Our own history
during times of war and depression proves the correctness of the point
Paul was making, for many marriages failed that were entered into
in those times of distress. Good sound advice is offered in these circum-
stances: If one is married, he is not to be loosed from the marriage
bond; if one does not have a wife, he is not to seek one.
But shouldst thou marry. — This is to men and unmaried women. If in
face of distress they should marry, they have not sinned. The apostle
is writing to spare them inevitable pressures that attend the establish-
ment and maintenance of a home.
the time is short, — Some read into this expression the assumption that
132
CHAPTER seven 7:29-34
Paul was speaking of the end of the world and second coming of
Christ. I disagree. He is stating a fact that all of us should be aware
of at all times — life in this world is transitory. The time that anyone
may have at any period is indeed brief. The whole concept of time as
it relates to man's existence on this earth is limited. Peter reminds
us that one day as the Lord looks upon it is as a thousand years and a
thousand years as one day (II Pet. 3:8).
those that have wives may be as though they had. none, — Marriage is
for this life, not for eternity. Jesus said, "in the resurrection they
neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels in
heaven" (Matt. 22:30). The point is that the length of time that one
is married is short at best, for it is temporal, limited to this lite. The
time in which we are to serve the Lord is also short, and one must
not, in this brief time of service, love father or mother or wife or
children more than the Lord (Lk. 14:26) .
those that weep, as though they wept not.— The apostle moves from
the subject of marriage to other transitory situations of this life. Weep-
ing and rejoicing will not go on forever for the child of God. In
heaven there is no mourning nor crying nor pain any more (Rev.
22:4). One cannot use to the fullest the things he possesses in this
life — food, shelter, and things for bodily comfort are used on a day
to day basis. See Jesus' remarks about such things in Matt. 5:25-34.
the fashion of this world passeth away. — Commentators in general
assume that Paul is speaking about the second coming of our Lord.
Not necessarily so. He is pointing to a well known fact that this
world with its customs is transitory. .Marriage is for this life. Why
then be overly concerned about getting married? Not that marriage
is wrong, but that Paul is concerned that the brethren who face some
unusual distress be spared the added burden of family cares. Note
what Jesus said about those with families at the time of the destruc-
tion of Jerusalem (24:19). All who know anything of the pressures
of war or economic depression know how hard these situations are on
those with families. The very young and the very old often suffer
beyond measure in such times of distress. Paul's concern was that they
be free from added cares.
unmarried., married. — All that has been said on this subject is now
applied to the two classes, whether the unmarried be unmarried men
or unmarried women. The simple facts are that married people must
give some time to family cares; the unmarried may have no such
problems. They are free to give their time to the Lord's work with-
out distraction.
133
7:35-39 i Corinthians
not that I may cast a snare upon you. — Once again, the apostle is
careful to remind the reader that marriage is not wrong even in times
of distress. He is not setting it aside and thereby setting a snare to
catch some in sin because of incontinency. This he had already ex-
plained (7:2-5).
unseemly toward his virgin. — The marriage of daughters was in that
culture under the control of the father. This is, therefore, advice to
fathers about letting their daughters marry. Any other construction
of the meaning of the passage is open to serious question. Plummer.
reminds us that it is wholly improbable that this refers to the prospec-
tive bridegroom or to some kind of spiritual betrothal between un-
married persons (I. C. C„ First Corinthians, p. 159) ■
the flower of her age. — That is, if she is a mature young woman of
marriageable age.
if need so requireth. — There may have been many reasons why ; it
might have been advisable for the father to grant his consent to the
marriage of a grown daughter. It might well be that he was unable
to support her and that she would, therefore, be happier if she were
permitted to establish her own home. Under such circumstances it was
not a sin for the father to let the young couple marry.
On the other hand, the father who did not find it necessary to give
such consent and who was able to exercise his will in the matter did
well to keep his virgin daughter at home. This is in accord with what
has been said about the advisability of remaining unmarried during
times of great distress. It also assumes that the father had the right
to , exercise his will in the matter. Perhaps some were slaves and
couldn't do so. We must read these instructions in the light of the
culture under which they were given, not of our own. Paul put his
approval on the one who gives his daughter in marriage, and adds
tnac the one who does hot give his daughter in marriage — under the
circumstances he has just described— -shall do better.
A wife is bound for so long time as her husband liveth. — Paul has
discussed the unmarried man and the unmarried woman. He has also
discussed the duties and responsibilities of the father of the unmarried
daughter. There remains one more class, the woman whose husband
had died and who might want to marry again. He now gives instruc-
tion to those in this situation. He reminds the reader that this applies
to the one whose husband is dead since the marriage vow is in force
while the husband lives. "Dead" means physically dead, not spiritually
dead. Some have imagined that if the husband is not a Christian and
134
CHAPTER SEVEN 7:39,40
therefore spiritually dead, the wife is freed from the marriage vow.
This seems absurd in the light of verse 14.
only in the Lord. — This may mean that she is free to marry one who
is in the Lord, that is, a baptized believer. "Be not unequally yoked
with unbelievers" (II Cor. 6:14) does not necessarily refer to mar-
riage. Christian people will be far better off in their desire to serve
the Lord if they do have Christian partners, but Paul has indicated
that the believer who is married to the unbeliever may use that situ-
ation to win the unbeliever to Christ (7:16).
A second possible meaning, though less likely, is that she is to
remember that marriage is to be in accord with the regulations of the
Lord for this sacred institution.
she is happier. — Remarriage, even though one may have a Scriptural
right, does not always solve the problems of loneliness or other issues
that may cause one to seek remarriage. This seems to be particularly
true of those who are older. The apostle's advice is that greater happi-
ness will accompany the unmarried state. The case of younger widows
is different. "When they have waxed wanton against Christ, they
desire to marry" (I Tim. 5:11). Some of these become not only idle
but tattlers and busybodies. Paul adds, "I desire therefore that younger
widows marry, bear children, rule the household, give no occasion to
the adversary for reviling: for already some are turned aside after
Satan" (I Tim. 5:13-15).
I think I also have the Spirit of God. — This does not imply any doubt
in the apostles mind as to his inspiration. On the contrary, he is sure
that he has the Spirit of God directing him. Others might have been
claiming it, but the apostle of Christ could say, "I think that I also
have the Spirit of God."
Summary
In this chapter Paul begins to answer the quesions which the Corin-
thians raised in -their letter to him. The questions were about (1)
marriage, (2) things sacrificed to idols, (3) matters of public wor-
ship, and perhaps (4) the other topics discussed in the rest of the
letter: spiritual gifts, the resurrection, and the collection for the saints.
Paul approaches the problem of marriage from the background of
the loose moral condition that prevailed in Corinth and from his dis-
cussion of the sins of fornication and abuse of the body in the pre-
ceding chapters. The unmarried state is excellent, or honorable.
Nevertheless, because it may present temptation to those who do not
have the gift of continence, he recommends the married state also.
The mutual obligations of husbands and wife are not to be set aside
135
I CORINTHIANS
except by mutual consent, and that only for a time, that Satan tempt
them not. Paul wished that all had this gift, but he recognized that all
are not alike in this respect. His instruction about marriage is to be
considered in relation to the individual case. It applies equally to the
unmarried and to widows. It does not set aside the law of marriage,
although the unmarried state is recommended for those who are able
to accept this advice because of the peculiar distress which the people
of Corinth were facing.
Married couples are given specific instructions: They are to re-
member the command of the Lord that the wife is not to depart from
her husband. In accord with the instruction which the Lord had
given, she is reminded that if she should depart she is to remain un-
married or else be reconciled to her husband.
With the general statement about marriage, Paul turns to the case
of a believer being married to an unbeliever. Is separation permitted
in this case? The answer is clear: the believer is not to leave the un-
believer. The marriage is made holy in the believer, and there is no
reason for dissolving it. If, however, the unbeliever should depart, he
is to be allowed to do so. The law of marriage does not imply that
the brother or sister is placed under obligation to go along with the
One who leaves. Neither does it say that the believer is free to remarry.
Such freedom is brought about by the death of husband or wife. But
God called them in peace. Every effort should be made to preserve
the home, but if the unbeliever insists he is to be allowed to leave. The
believer must consider, however, the possibility of saving his un-
believing partner by refusing to take the initiative in breaking up the
home. This may call for grear Christian grace, but it is worth it if one
soul can be saved.
Becoming a Christian is no reason for seeking separation from an
unbelieving husband or wife. For example, the one who is called in
circumcision or even in slavery is advised not to let-his status as Jew
or even slave matter. It is his relation to Christ that counts. Of course,
if a slave can obtain freedom, it is well to do so, but it is not essential
to his becoming a Christian.
The purpose of Paul's advice was to spare them unnecessary anxiety
under the peculiar circumstances of their day. This should not be
regarded as a great hardship since the fashion of the world is chang-
ing and will some day give place to the permanent state in eternity
where they neither marry nor are given in marriage. This instruction
was not intended to prevent marriage, but to make it possible for
them to serve the Lord without distraction.
136
CHAPTER SEVEN
Two possible attitudes of a father toward his unmarried daughter
are given, If the daughter is old enough to be married and he is dis-
posed to consent to her marriage, let him so do; it is no sin. On the
other hand, if he is in position to exercise his will in the matter —
something denied to many who were slaves — and he is disposed to
keep his daughter at home, let him do so. So the one who g.ves his
daughter in marriage does well, but the one who does not give his
daughter in marriage does better, for he spares her the anxiety of
homemaking in troublous times.
Concluding the discussion, Paul says that a wife is bound to her
husband as long as the husband lives, but if he should die she is free
to marry, only in the Lord. The law of the Lord regulating marriage
applies at all times. Some assume that this means she is free only to
marry one who is in the Lord.
This instruction is so important that Paul closes it with the re-
minder to his readers that he has been directed by the Spirit of God
in writing it.
Questions
1. How did Paul happen to write on the subject of marriage?
2. What expression does Paul repeatedly use to show possible con-
nection between topics in this part of the letter?
3. What are the topics which he discusses?
4. What may have been the question of the Corinthians that called
forth Paul's answer?
5. What was Paul's answer to their question?
6. Simply stated, what is meant by the answers?
7. Is there anything in his answer that could possibly be construed
to say that the unmarried state is superior to the married?
8. What is the background against which Paul advised them to
marry?
9- What can be said of Paul's high regard for marriage?
10. What are the obligations of each partner in marriage?
11. What principle given by Paul in the Philippian letter is there
that would save many marriages?
12. To whom does the right over the body of wife or husband belong?
13. What guiding principle must be observed here?
14. On what condition and for what purpose does Paul say that there
may be separation of husband and wife?
15. How does the example of Jesus show that there may be times
when one needs to be entirely alone with God?
137
I CORINTHIANS
16. What danger do some people face from Satan?
17. Why does Paul say, "by concession, not commandment"?
18. Why did Paul wish all men were as himself ?
19- What can we safely conclude about Paul's marital status?
20. What about his love for the family? How does he show it?
21. Under what circumstances is it better to marry?
22. What is the relation of Paul's instruction to what had been said
by the Lord?
23- What did Jesus teach about marriage?
24. How long is the marriage contract in force?
25. Why did Moses permit the Jews to divorce their wives?
26. What can be said about the "innocent" party in divorce cases?
27. What principle of interpretation is violated in going to Matthew
nineteen rather than First Corinthians seven for instruction about
marriage for Christians? '
28. What should Christian people do who find themselves divorced
and remarried without knowing what the Word of God said
about it?
29- Should such couples separate?
30. How does the divorce rate in this country affect the problem of
juvenile delinquency?
31. What rule is given for the one who is married to an unbeliever?
32. How are we to understand Paul's statement, "to the rest say I, not
the Lord"?
33- How are we to understand the remark, "the unbelieving husband
is sanctified in the wife"?
34. Does this have anything to do with the personal salvation of the
unbelieving husband?
35. What should be the hope of the believer who is married to an
unbeliever?
138
CHAPTER SEVEN
36. What is meant by "not under bondage in such cases"?
37. What rule did Paul give for all the churches to follow?
38. What bearing does the fact that God called us in peace have on
our obligation to preserve the marriage?
39. What was the Christian slave to do about his situation?
40. Why did Paul remind them that they had been bought with a
price?
41. Why did Paul say he had no command of the Lord about virgins?
42. How are we to regard his opinion?
43. To what distress did Paul refer when he advised the Corinthians
to put off getting married?
44. What had the disciples thought about the kingdom before Pente-
cost?
45. What about the view of some that the apostles expected the re-
turn of Christ in their lifetime?
46. What distress did' the Corinthians face?
47. Is it wrong for young people to marry during times of war or
depression?
48. How does Paul's teaching help those who remain unmarried?
49- What did he mean by "fashion of this world"?
50. What was the duty of fathers toward unmarried daughters?
51. For how long is a wife bound to her husband?
52. Under what conditions did the inspired apostle indicate that she
was free to remarry?
For Discussion
1. How can prayer and Bible study be used to keep the home to-
gether?
2. How can the Christian ideal for the home be best presented to the
young people of the church?
139
CHAPTER EIGHT
Analysis
A. Paul now considers the second question which the Corinthians had
asked in their letter: The question of using meats that had been
sacrificed to idols ( 1-3 ) .
1. Since such meats were sold in the markets, their question may
have been, "Can we as Christians use this meat?" Or they may
have put it in a declarative form, "We know that we all have
knowledge about this matter."
2. The apostle's answer indicates an important distinction be-
tween knowledge and love.
a) The principle involved:
( 1 ) Knowledge puffs up.
(2) Love builds up.
b) The application of the principle to their problem:
(1 ) The one who may suppose that he has correct knowl-
edge about such meats does not know all that he
should know, that is, that knowledge is to be regulated
by love.
(2 ) If one loves God, he is known by Him. To be known
by God is more important than to know about meats,
especially, when the guiding principle of love for fel-
low man is forgotten.
B. Paul explains the truth about idols and about God (4-6).
1. What we know about idols and about God (4) .
a) Nothing is an idol in this world.
b) No one is God except One, that is, there is only one true
God.
2. He explains what he meant by the remark about idols and
about God (5-6).
a) He acknowledges that there are those that are called gods,
whether in heaven or on earth.
b) Consequently, there are in the thinking of some, "gods
many and lords many."
c) It is different, however, with the Christian.
(1 ) For us, there is one God, the Father.
(a) He is the creator of all things.
(b) We, as new creatures, are created for His glory.
(2 ) For us, there is one Lord, Jesus Christ.
140
CHAPTER EIGHT
(a) Through Him all things are created.
(b) And we are made new creatures through Him.
C. He discusses the problem of those who do not have this knowledge
(7-12).
1 . It raises the problem of conscience ( 7 ) .
a) Some, because of what they have been accustomed to think
and because they do not have this knowledge, will, in eat-
ing this meat, consider it a sacrifice to an idol — that is, idol
worship.
b) By thus doing what they believe to be wrong, their weak
conscience is defiled.
2. He points out the truth about food ( 8 ) .
a) Eating food does not commend us to God.
b) If we eat it, we are no worse off; if we do not eat it, we are
no better off.
3. This right to eat food sacrificed to idols is limited (9-11 ) .
a) He gives a warning about using this liberty which might
become a stumblingblock to the weak.
b ) He explains what he has in mind:
(1 ) He points to a situation in which a weak man may see
someone eating in an idol's temple but who knows
that he is not worshiping an idol in doing so.
(2 ) He raises the question : Will not the weak one be em-
boldened to eat the meat and in doing so believe that
he is actually worshiping the idol?
c) He points out the tragedy that is involved in this lack of
consideration for the weak brother.
(1) The weak brother for whom Christ died is led to sin
against his conscience and, as a result, he perishes.
(2) By thus sinning against the brethren and wounding
their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
D. The principle of limitation of Christian liberty ( 13 ) .
1. The condition: If meat causes my brother to stumble.
2. The resolution: I will eat no flesh forever.
3. The reason: That I cause not my brother to stumble.
Text
8:1-3. Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we
all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth. 2 If any
man thinketh that he knoweth anything, he knoweth not yet as he
ought to know; 3 but if any man loveth God, the same is known by
him.
141
8:1 I CORINTHIANS
Things Sacrificed to Idols ( 1-3 )
Commentary
Now concerning. — This phrase is taken as an indication of the fact
that Paul continues to answer questions posed by the letter which
he had received from the brethren in Gonnth.
things sacrificed to idols.-— -Some of the meats that were sold in pub-
lic markets had been previously used as offerings to idols. Those who
ate this food were in the habit of considering it a participation in
idolatrous worship — if, indeed, they thought about its Significance at
all. The Chrstian was confronted with a very real problem: Should
he continue to do according to his custom : before becom-ng a Chris-
tian? There must have been some who did object to doing so, for
they wrote to the apostle for further information on the subject.
idols. — Luke describes Athens, the neighboring city of the Corinthians,
as being a city "full of idols" (Acts 17:16). They even had an altar
"TO AN UNKNOWN GOD." This gives us a glimpse of the re-
ligious background of the early church with some of its converts
coming from pagan backgrounds.
Idolatry was an inexcusable sin (Rom. 1:20-21). Even the dim
light that came from creation was sufficient to let men see something
of the power and divinity of God. The vanity of man's own reason-
ing filled his heart with darkness. "Professing themselves to be wise,
they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God
for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and
four-footed beasts, and creeping things" (Rom. 1:22-23). The sin of
idolatry consisted not only in worshipping an image of some god
man' had created but also in the sins that accompanied such idolatrous
worship. For a description of the unspeakable things that men prac-
ticed when they refused to have the knowledge of God in their minds,
see Paul's discussion of the subject in Romans 1:24-32.
Idolatry was the very opposite of Christianity. It was the worship
of a god made by the hands of man, rather than the worship of the
true God who created man. Idolatry was a system of worship of count-
less gods, rather than the worship of the one God as revealed in the
Lord Jesus Christ. It was accompanied by the most shocking sins, in-
dicating the depth of degradation of man; rather than faith expressed
in obedience to the gospel, indicating the heights to whxh man can
go in his desire to glorify God, or, as Paul put it, to let their bodies
be a temple of the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 6:19-20). Idolatry called for
the offering of virtually every known thing — even human beings^-
142
CHAPTER EIGHT 8:1,2
as sacrifices to a god made by the hands of men, rather than present-
ing the body "as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God" (Rom.
12:1). Idolatry had its oracles — pretended revelations from its gods
— and the writings of those who considered themselves to be wise,
rather than the gospel that came "through revelation of Jesus Christ"
(Gal. 1:12), Idolatry had its many theories about the status of man
after death, rather than the clear revelation of the Word of God as
to the hell that will be suffered by those who refuse to obey the gos-
pel (II Thes. 1:8-10) and the heaven that is prepared for those who
love the Lord (II Tim. 4:8). It is little wonder that the conference
at Jerusalem warned, "abstain from the pollution of idols" (Acts
15:20), and John earnestly appealed to the church, "My little chil-
dren, guard yourselves from idols" (I John 5:21).
In offering sacrifices to an idol, it is possible that some considered
this as an expression of their own needs. For example, they brought
food as an offering to a god because they realized their own need of
food and in some way believed that the god could supply th.s need.
In all probability, however, the average one who worshipped idols
went through the ancient forms handed down from generation to
generation without thinking anything about the meaning of his ac-
tions. The Jews who had the revelation from God — the law — that
was to govern their worship soon reached the point where external
ceremony without any consideration of the meaning their acts be-
came the mark of their religion. See Matt. 23:1-36; Rom. 2:17-29-
We might ask, "Do we as Christians ever find ourselves s.mply going
through forms without letting the truth of the Gospel affect our
lives?" Perhaps we should not condemn the idolator for merely going
through forms of worship — false worship though it was — while rec-
ognizing our own inability at times to avoid this pitfall as we worship
God through the Lord Jesus Christ in spirit and in truth.
We know that we all have knowledge. — Commentators are in agree-
ment that this was the declaration of the Corinth ans as they wrote
to Paul. In other words, as they faced the problem of food offered
to idols as a sacrifice, they were confident that they had the knowledge
they needed on the subject. It is possible, however, that some consci-
entious ones among them who thought of their background in pagan
religions were really asking for information on the subject. It is pos-
sible that they had been discussing such a quest.'on as th's: "Can we
as Christians eat this meat that we find in our markets knowing that
it has been used in a pagan worship service to some idol?" If this
was their question, then Paul's answer is a clear statement that "we
143
8:2,3 I CORINTHIANS
all have knowledge" about idols and the meats used in their worship.
But if the Corinthians had made this statement as their own declara-
tion and not as a question, it may imply that their knowledge was
imperfect and that it had a tendency to cause them to assume an ar-
rogant attitude toward those who did not understand the issues in-
volved. Hence Paul's remarks about knowledge.
Knowledge puffs up. — There is an arrogance about all knowledge.
That individual or even nation that has knowledge about something
that none other has tends to look with disdain upon the one who does
not have that knowledge; This pride tends to create ill will, suspicion,
and even hate. That is apparently what happened in the church at
Corinth.
love edifieth. — Knowledge needs to be regulated by love. Love, the
opposite of arrogance, pride, and hate was necessary in order to pre-
vent the brother who didn't have this knowledge from being led to
sin and destruction. Love, rather than destroying, led to the building
up of the weak brother in Christ until he too had the correct under-
standing of this problem of food that had been used in idolatrous
worship.
he knoweth not yet as he ought to know. — Even the one who thought
that he possessed all knowledge about this problem was lmited. The
apostle points this out in order to overcome the spirit of arrogance.
Knowledge without due consideration for those who did not have it
could not be perfect.
if any man loveth God.-— To love God is to be known by Him. This
is the knowledge that is needed. To be known by God requires one
to love his brethren. John's statement has a bearing on this matter;
"If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he
that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God
whom he hath not seen" (I John 4: 20).
Love of the brethren requires proper concern for their lack of un-
derstanding of such things as the use of food that had been sacrificed
to idols. Knowledge without love could do great harm. It is love that
makes one think of the brother who is not fully instructed. Love
builds up the body of Christ rather than destroying it by sinning
against the weak member. The important thing is to be known by
God, and that depends on loving Him and expressing that love in a
proper regard for the brother who is weak.
Text
8:4-6. Concerning dierefore the eating of things sacrificed to idols,
we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no
144
CHAPTER EIGHT 8:4-6
God but one. 5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in
heaven or on earth; as there are gods many, and lords many; 6 yet to
us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto
him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are ail things, and
we through him.
The Truth About Idols and About God (4-6)
Commentary
Concerning therefore eating things sacrificed to idols. — After discuss-
ing love as the principle that is to regulate knowledge, the apostle
comes to grips with the real issue about idols and the use of food
that has been sacrificed to them. His remark tends to support the
suggestion that the Corinthians had arrogantly stated their position
on the matter rather than asking for information.
we know that no idol is anything in the world. — The Greek, literally
rendered, is as follows: We know that nothing idol in world. Ob-
viously we must supply the verb and two articles to make sense in
English: We know that nothing is an idol in the world. But the
thought is clear: Nothing in the world is an object of worship. A
tree is not an object of worship, nor a stream, nor a mountain, nor
the heavenly bodies. And if these things are not gods, certainly no
idol made by man's hands is to be considered as an object of worship.
Paul declared in his speech at Athens that "we ought not to think
that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art
and device of man" (Acts 17:29). "The God that made the worlds
and all things therein, he being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth
not in temples made with hands: neither is he served by men's hands
as though he needed anything, seeing he himself giveth to all life,
and breath, and all things" (Acts 17:24-25 ) .
The idol, then, does not represent any real god. It is the projection,
in some way, of man's own concept of God. It is perhaps the expres-
sion of what man needs from God. Idolatry expressed this largely,
though not exclusively, as materialistic needs.
there is no God but one. — This is the basic issue of Christian theology.
It is clearly stated in the Old Testament and upheld in the New Tes-
tament. "Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah: and thou
shalt love Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy might" (Deut. 6:4-5). Jesus upheld th ; s view on
various occasions. See Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:29-30; Luke 10:27.
Speaking to the Samaritan woman, He said, "God is a Spirit: and
they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:23).
John's prologue gives us three basic thoughts on this issue: (1) "In
145
8:5,6 I CORINTHIANS
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God"; (2) "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt
among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten
from the Father) full of grace and truth"; and (3) "No man hath
seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom
of the Father, he hath declared him." Paul wrote to the Colossians,
"in him dwelleth all the fulness of the God-head bodily" (Col. 2:9).
Perhaps the clearest explanation of the Christian doctrine of the- God-
head is given by Paul in his letter to the Philippians: "Have this
mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, existing in the
form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing
to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant,
being- made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a
man; he humbled himself as a man, becoming obedient even unto
death, yea, the death of the cross. Wherefore God highly exalted him,
and gave unt6 him the' name which is above every name; that in the
name of' Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things
on -earth;- and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is
Iiord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:5-1 1 ) .
This knowledge, is essential to the understanding of the problem
faced by the "church at Corinth. To love God and to be known by
Him- is •to' be considerate of the brother who has not fully compre-
hended the- doctrine of the Godhead.
For though there be that are called, gods. — In his teaching about the
one true God, 1 Paul is hot unaware of the fact that many people be-
lieved there' were many gods and many lords. As a matter of fact, al-
most everything was a god to the pagan. His was a religion of fear
arid works by which he hoped to gain favor with his god. Christian-
ity, on the other hand, is the religion of grace and faith— ^-faith ex-
pressed in obedience to the revealed will of Christ. Paul recognized
the problem: What was the man who did not know the truth about
God but thought that his idols were gods to do about such things as
eating food that had been used in connection with the worship of
idols?
to us there is one God. — To the Christian, there is only one God, the
Father. It is not surprising that many new converts from paganism
did not fully understand this truth. Consequently, he d:d not under-
stand about eating food sacrificed to idols. He had been used to think-
ing of almost everything in the heavens and on the earth as gods. It
was difficult to grasp the essential teaching of Christianity about the
only God.
146
CHAPTER EIGHT 8:6
of whom are all things, and we unto him, — God, the Father, is the
creator of the heavens and the earth and all that is in them, How is
it possible for man to imagine that he can make a god?
God had a purpose in the creation of man: Man was created to
glorify Him. As to the Christian, Paul declared that in Christ, God
"chose us before the foundation of the world, that we shouid be holy
and without blemish before him in Christ unto himself, according to
the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace
which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved" (Eph. 1:4-6). God
chose the believer in Christ; the believer — and that means all who
will, Jew or Greek — chooses God the Father as He is revealed in
Christ.
one Lord, Jesus Christ. — The word "Lord" was used by the Jews in-
stead of "Jehovah," a name that refers to the eternal, living God.
New Testament quotations from the Old Testament are usually from
the Septuagint version, which accounts for the fact that the word
"Lord" is found in the New Testament instead of "Jehovah" which
is found in the Old. So when Paul calls Jesus Christ "Lord," he is
affirming in the most positive manner possible the deity of Jesus the
Christ.
through whom are all things, and we through him, — Christ is pre-
sented as the agent of creation, and the Father as the source of all
things. "All things were made through him; and without him was
not anything made that hath been made" (John 1:3). The same
idea is given by the writer of Hebrews as he speaks of the Son
through whom God made the worlds (Heb. 1:2). Paul speaks of
Him in the Colossian letter as "the image of the invisible God, the
firstborn of all creation; for in him were all things created, in the
heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things
have been created through him, and unto him; and he is before all
things, and in him all things consist" (Col. 1 : 15-17 ) .
We Christians are made new creatures through Him. Note Paul's
remark to the Ephesians: "Even as truth is in Jesus: that ye put away,
as concerning your former life, the old man, that waxeth corrupt
after the lusts of deceit; and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your
mind, and put on the new man, that after God hath been created in
righteousness and holiness of truth" (Eph. 4:21-24) .
Text
8:7-12. Howbeit there is not in all men that knowledge: but some,
being used until now to the idol, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol;
147
8:7 I CORINTHIANS
and their conscience being weak is defiled. 8 But food will not com-
mend us to God: neither, if we eat not,- are we the worse; nor, if we .
eat, are we the better. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of !
yours become a stumblingblock to the weak, 10 For if a man see : thee ■
who hast knowledge sitting at meat in an idol's temple, will not his.
conscience, if he is weak, be emboldened to eat things sacrificed to \
idols? 11 For through thy knowledge he that is weak perisheth, the;
brother for whose sake Christ died. 12 And thus, sinning against thej
brethren, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, ye sin
against Christ. ;
Not All Have This Knowledge (7-12)
, , Commentary .
there is not in all men that knowledge. — The complete revelation of
all things that pertain to life and godliness is given in the Bible. But >
we are not all on the same level in the comprehension of that knowl-
edge. Try to imagine the situation of those who had the background
of idolatry with its attendant sins. It must have been a difficult ad-
justment for those to make who had been used to thinking that they
were worshipping idols when they ate the meats that were sold in
the markets. .
their conscience being weak is defiled. — Our word "conscience" is. de-
rived' ftom the Latin and has the same root meaning as the Greek
term.. The prefix signifies "with" or "together." The root word means
"to know*". This suggests that conscience is the awareness of an act
together with its, moral implications, that is, the thing that is right or
wrong about it. Conscience condemns us for doing what is wrong or
commends us for doing what is right according to our accepted stand-
ard. For the Christian, that standard is the Bible.
The Christian whose background was pagan and who had been
used to eating food that had been sacrificed to idols was aware that
he was still using such food. His question was, "Is it right for a
Christian to do so?" In many cases the answer was "No" for he did
not have the knowledge that "nothing is an idol in this world." His
guilt, though not based on truth, was, nevertheless, real to him. The
person who persists in doing what he believes to be wrong, even
though it might not be wrong, is in danger of reaching the state in
which his conscience no longer functions as a warning against wrong-
doing. In this way the conscience is stained or- defiled. The stain that
sin leaves on the conscience can only be removed by the blood of the
Lamb (Heb. 9:14; I Pet. 1:22-23).
148
CHAPTER EIGHT 8:8-10
A weak conscience is one that is not fully instructed. It permits
one to do what he believes to be wrong. The weak conscience can
be strengthened by the truth and by training it to function correctly.
The trained conscience that has the truth to guide it will condemn
what is wrong and commend what is right.
But food will not commend us to God. — Literally, does not present
us to God. The thought is that food, whether we eat it or not, is not
the thing that presents us to God in a favorable light. The thing that
does commend us to God is the proper consideration for the weak
brother lest we cause him to sin.
Jesus had a word to say on this matter of defilement: "Not that
which entereth into the mouth defiles the man; but that which pro-
ceeded! out of the mouth, this defileth the man" (Matt. 15:11).
"But the things which proceed out of the mouth come forth out of
the heart; and defile the man. For out of the heart come forth evil
thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, rail- '
ings: these are the things which defile the man; but to eat with un-
washen hands defileth not the man" (Matt. 15 : 18-20) .
this liberty of yours. — The apostle sounds a warn'ng to those who !
have knowledge about food that had been sacrificed to idols. They are
to consider the brother with a weak conscience, lest by their action he-
be led to sin.
The word translated "liberty" is usually translated "authority" in
the New Testament. But there are places where it clearly means
"right" as in this context and in I Cor. 9:5 and perhaps also 11:10.
In this sense it is closely related to "freedom" — "liberty" as in 10:29.
The basic idea of the word is right to choose or l.'berty of action.
It can mean authority, power, or right. See John 10:18 where Jesus
speaks of His power or right to lay down His life. He had the right
to do so for He had received the command from the Father. In John
1:12 He tells of the right — certainly not the power — to become chil-
dren of God which was given to the believer in Christ.
There was no question about one's right to eat the food that had
been used in the worship of idols. There were, however, some things
that did limit this right. No one had a right to cast a stumblingblock
before his brother.
For if a man see thee who hast knowledge. — Paul supposes a possible
situation to illustrate what he means. He thinks of the man who
knows that meat sacrificed to an idol may be eaten by a Christian
without his participation in the worship of an idol. But what of the
brother with a weak conscience who sees you doing this? Will he not
149
8:1042 I CORINTHIANS
be encouraged by your example to do what he believes to be wrong^
the brother for whose sake Christ-- died. — A Christian's conduct can
cancel the cross of Christ. Christ died for the weak brother as well as r
for the strong. But should one who has knowledge do a. thing that
causes another for whom Christ died to be lost? We should think of
this side of the matter when we face similar situations today. j ,
sinning against th.e brethren. — This was being done thoughtlessly)
Undoubtedly, the strong Christian said to himself that there was notfci|
ing wrong in what he was doing, but he was not considering it's effect
on the one who did not know about idols.
wounding their conscience, ,WThis thing struck a , blow that left a
wound on the conscience of the weak brother, Even though it was
right in itself, it became a sin, for it caused a brother to be lost.
ye sin against. Christ. — Were they really aware of this before Paul
pointed it out? This is the real reason why a, Christian should limit
his personal liberty, for sinning against a: brother is sinning against
Christ. As Paul was writing this, was he remembering the voice he
had heard on the Damascus road? "Why persecutest thou me?". Jesus
takes an, injury done to "one of these least" as an injury to Himself
(Matt. 25:40).
Text
, 8:12-13. And thus, sinning against the brethren, and wounding
their conscience when it is weak, ye sin against Christ. 13 Wherefore,
if meat causeth my brother , to stumble, I will eat no flesh for ever-
more, that I cause not my brother to stumble.
The Limitation of Christian Liberty (13)
Commentary
Wherefore. — The apostle is ready for the conclusion of this part of
his argument about meats sacrificed to idols. Christian love may cause
one to give up a right for the sake of a brother in Christ. We may
have a perfect right to do a thing, but if in doing so we wound an-
other our right must be given up. This principle will solve many
problems about what is right or wrong for the Christian.
if meat causeth my brother to stumble. — Paul states a condition that
is real. He does not say "If some one should be found at some future
time," making the condition general. He is saying what he would do
when he faced the real problem. He has indicated all along that it
was not wrong in itself to eat the meat that had been sacrificed to an
idol. The whole problem had to do with causing a brother for whom
Christ died to stumble. That he would never do.
I will eat no flesh forever. — This did not bind Paul to become a vege-
150
CHAPTER EIGHT 8:12,13
tarian. It was only in the case of offending a brother. There is no par-
ticular point in his using "flesh" instead of "food" except that it is
specific, referring to the flesh of the animal that had been sacrificed.
that I cause not my brother to stumble. — This is the real reason for
the course he had chosen and which he had recommended to the
church. Do we really dunk of others as "brothers" in the lamily of
God? Are we really concerned lest they stumble? Jesus died for them;
Paul was unwilling to cause them to stumble and perish.
Summary
The eighth chapter which begins with the discussion of "Things
sacrificed to idols" raises the question of the limitation of Christian
liberty. This topic contnues through chapter ten.
Meats used in idol worship were not only eaten in the feasts con-
nected with idol worship, but were commonly sold in the markets.
Thus the Christian was confronted with a serious problem: Was he
participating in idol worship by using such food?
Paul says, "We know that we all have knowledge." It is possible
that this was an opinion of the Corinthians. More probably, it was
Paul's estimate of the situation in general. All know certain things
about idolatry: there is really no such thing as a god represented by
an idol.
If, however, one assumes that this is complete knowledge, he is
reminded that such knowledge only "puffs up" while love for God
expressed in proper consideration for those who are not fully in-
formed about idolatry builds up the church. The particular knowledge
that God created all things and that we are to serve Him through
Christ is not shared by some. The custom of eating at idol feasts
caused some to believe that they were worshiping the idol. The con-
science was defiled because it was weak. A strong conscience would
have forbidden such eating by one who believed it to be idolatry.
While Paul recognized that eating such food in reality neither com-
mended nor condemned one, nevertheless, it was wrong to set an ex-
ample that would lead a brother to do this who supposed that he was
actually worshiping the idol. The one whose conscience isn't strong
enough to keep him from doing what he believes to be wrong is de- •
stroyed by your knowledge. He is the brother for whom Christ died.
Thus sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience
when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
Relationship to Christ is the controlling principle that limits one's
liberty. Therefore Paul says, "If food is causing my brother to stumble,
I will eat no flesh forever."
151
I CORINTHIANS
Questions
1. What is the significance of the phrase, "Now concerning"?
2. What was done with the meats after they had been sacrificed to
idols?
3. How had the converts from paganism been accustomed to think
about the use of such meats? - ■■■■■■.
4. Why was this a real problem to some Christians?
5. What information does Luke give about idolatry in Athens?
6. Why was idolatry an inexcusable sin?
7. What does man do to the glory of the incorruptible God by mak-
ing idols?
8. What does Paul say about the sins that accompanied idol worship?
9. What are some of the points of contrast between idolatry and
Christianity?
10. What may have been in the mind of those who offered sacrifices
to idols?
11. What suggests that the idolater may not have considered the rea-
son for his offerings to idols?
12. Do Christians always think of the meaning of their acts of
worship?
13. What are the two, views as to the authorship of the statement,
"we know that we all have knowledge"?
14. What is meant by the expression, "Knowledge puffeth up"?
15. How must knowledge be controlled?
16. How does love build up the body of Christ?
17. How was the knowledge of the one who knew that there was
nothing to an idol inadequate?
18. What is the relation between loving God and knowledge?
19- What bearing did this have on the problem of the Corinthians?
20. How are we to understand the expression, "no idol is anything in
the world"?
21. What are some of the things in creation that men have been
known to worship?
22. What did Paul say to the men of Athens about making idols of
gold?
23. Why is an idol really nothing?
24. What is the basic issue of Christian theology?
25. What had the Jews been taught about God?
26. What does the New Testament teach about the deity of Jesus?
27. What was the pagan view as to the number of gods and lords?
152
CHAPTER EIGHT
28. What term describes the one true God of the Christians?
29. What bearing does the fact that God created all things have on
the folly of man who makes an idol?
30. What was God's purpose in creating man?
31. How does the word "Lord" indicate the deity of Jesus?
32. What is the function of Christ in Creation?
33. What is God's purpose in bringing into being the "new creature"
in Christ?
34. What difference in the level of comprehension of revealed knowl
edge must be recognized?
35. What is the meaning of the word "conscience"?
36. What is the function of conscience?
37. What is the standard by which the Christian's conscience is to be
guided?
38. What of the sense of guilt on the part of the one who believes he
had done wrong even though no wrong was actually done?
39- How is conscience defiled?
40. What is a weak conscience? How can it be strengthened?
41. Since food in itself does not commend us to God, what attitude
toward others may do so?
42. What did Jesus say about the things that defile a man?
43. What is the basic idea in the word translated "liberty" in this
chapter?
44. What limit did Paul put on the liberty of the one who possessed
knowledge about idols?
45. Why should a Christian be concerned about the weak brother?
46. Against whom do we sin when we sin against a weak brother?
47. How were they wounding the conscience of the weak brother?
48. How did Paul sum up his teaching on meats sacrificed to idols?
49. Did Paul say that he would eat meat under no condition?
50. What was his principal concern in this matter?
For Discussion
1. The power of example in teaching.
2. Some things Christians should forego today.
153
CHAPTER NINE
Analysis.
A. Paul presents his own rights as an apostle in relation to the prin-
ciple of Christian liberty ( l-12a) .
1. In a series of questions which require affirmative answers, he
presents his rights as a Christian and as an apostle ( 1-3 )..
a) He asks the question about his rights as a Christian: I am
free, am I not? That is, free to abstain from food that
might cause a brother to stumble.
b) He asks questions that show his right as an apostle:
(1) I am an apostle, am I not? The questions that fol-
low prove that he was.
( 2 ) I have seen our Lord Jesus, have I not?
( 3 ) You aire my work in the Lord, are you not?
c) He shows why the Corinthians cannot deny that he is an
apostle.
( 1 ) Others might deny it.
(2) The Corinthians cannot for they are his converts and
the seal of his apostleship in the Lord.
( 3 ) This is his defense to those who question his apostle-
ship.
2. In another series of questions he proves his right to support
while preaching the gospel (2-12a) .
a) He asks questions that indicate some of his rights.
( 1 ) It isn't that we do not have a right to food and drink,
.is it? Negative answer is implied. .
(2) It isn't that we do not have a right to be accompanied
by a wife — a sister in Christ, that is, a Christian wife
— is it? Negative answer implied.
( 3 ) He has this right even as the other apostles and the
brethren of the Lord and Cephas, has he not?
(4) Or is it only Paul and Barnabas who do not have the
right to be supported by their work.
b) He raises questions that show that workers do receive sup-
port from their tasks.
( 1 ) The questions on the human level.
( a ) What soldier serves at his own charges?
(b) Who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the
fruit thereof?
154
CHAPTER NINE
(c) Of who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the
milk of the flock?
(2) The Scriptures say the same thing.
(a) He indicates this by a question.
(b) He quotes from the Law of Moses, "Thou shalt
not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the
,, corn." See also Deut. 25:4.
c) He asks questions that show how this Scripture applies to
him.
( 1 ) Is it for the oxen that God careth, or does He say it
for our sake?
(2) He shows why it applies to him as a gospel preacher.
( a ) He that ploweth ought to plow in hope.
(b) He that thresheth ought to thresh in hope of
partaking of the harvest.
d) He raises questions about sharing of spiritual and carnal
things.
(1) If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great
matter that we reap your carnal (material) things?
(2) If others have this right over you, do not we yet
more?
B. Paul shows why he did not make use of his right to receive sup-
port from preaching the gospel ( 12b- 1 8 ) .
1. He did not use this right, but endured all things (12b- 14).
a) The reason he didn't was that he might cause no hindrance
to the gospel of Christ.
b) He adds additional proof, however, that he did have the
right to support.
(1) Know ye not that they that minister about sacred
things eat of the temple?
(2) And they that wait upon the altar have their por-
tion with the altar?
(3) In the same manner, the Lord ordained that they that
proclaim the gospel should live of the gospel.
2. He did not use his right, neither was he writing that it might
be done in his case (15-18).
- - - a) He declares that he would rather die than let any man
make his glorying void,
(b) He explains his glorying in relation to the gospel.
155
I CORINTHIANS
• ( 1 ) . He did not glory over the fact of his preaching the
gospel, for it was necessary for him to do so and, he
adds, "Woe is me if I preach not the gospel."
( 2 ) He could look at his preaching in two ways :
(a) If he preached the gospel of his own will he
had a reward,
(b) If he did not do so of his, own will, he had a
stewardship entrusted to him.
(3) His reward, then, was preaching the gospel without
charge. In so doing, however, he was not using his
right in the gospel to the full.
Paul explains that his purpose in preaching the gospel is not to
receive support, but to win some ( 19-27 ) .
1. Although he is free from all men, he made himself a slave to.
all that he might gain more converts to Christ (19-22).
a) To the Jews, he became as a Jew to gain Jews.
b) To them under the law, as under the law, although he
was not himself under the law, that he might gain them
that are under the law.
c) To them that are without law, he was as without law; but
this does not mean that he was without law to God, for
he was under law to Christ. This was for the purpose of
winning them that were without law.
d) To the weak, he became weak that he might win the
weak.
e) He became all things to all men that by all means he
might win some.
2. He explains that he was doing all things for the gospel's
sake (23-27).
a) His purpose was that he might share in the blessings
promised in the gospel ( 23 ) .
b) He illustrates his purpose by reference to the athletic
games (24-27).
(1) He reminds them that those who strive in the games
exercise self control in all things.
(2 ) Their goal was to receive a corruptible crown.
(3) In contrast, the Christian's goal was an incorruptible
crown.
(4) Consequently, he was not running uncertainly (with-
out a goal ) or boxing as one who beats the air.
(5) His aim was to conquer the body, lest after having
preached to others he should be rejected.
156
CHAPTER NINE 9;1
Text
9:l-12a. Am I not free? am I not an apostle? have I not seen
Jesus our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? 2 If to others I am
not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for the seal of mine apostle-
ship are ye in the Lord. 3 My defence to them that examine me is
this. 4 Have we no right to eat and to drink? 5 Have we no right to
;lead about a wife that is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles,
and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? 6 Or I only and Barnabas,
have we not a right to forbear working? 7 What soldier ever serv-
eth at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not the
fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of
the flock? 8 Do I speak these things after the manner of men? or
saith not the law also the same? 9 For it is written in the law of
Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the
corn. Is it for the oxen that God careth, 10 or saith he it assuredly
for our sake? Yea, for our sake it was written; because he that plow-
eth ought to plow in hope, and he that thresheth, to thresh in hope of
partaking. 11 If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great mat-
ter if we shall reap your carnal things? 12 If others partake of this
right over you, do not we yet more?
Paul's Rights as an Apostle (l-12a)
Commentary
Am I not free? — This chapter must be read in the light of what the
apostle had just written in chapter eight. A Christian had a right to
eat the meats that had been sacrificed to idols because he knew the
truth about idols. This right — translated "liberty" in the American
Standard Version — was not to be used in such a manner as to cause
the weak brother to stumble.
Paul was just as free as any other Christian to exercise his judg-
ment about eating this kind of food, for the truth of Christ had
set him free from all rules and regulations and superstitions of men.
It had, indeed, set him free from the bondage of the Jewish law.
It had set him free from the bondage of sin. See John 8:32 and
Rom. 6:22. It was for freedom that Christ had set him free, and he
was not becoming entangled again in any yoke of bondage (Gal.
5:1). But what he had recommended to others about the limitation
of Christian liberty, he was free to observe for himself (8:13).
am- I not an apostle? — All this group of questions are so framed as
to suggest affirmative answers. "I am an apostle, am I not?" The ques-
tion of his freedom and of his apostleship could only be answered
by "yes." The question as to his apostleship lays the ground for his
argument that he has the right to expect material support from
157
9:1,2 I CORINTHIANS
those to whom he preached the gospel — a right which he was to
forgo.
have I not seen Jesus Our Lord?— Again, the affirmative answer is
suggested. "I have seen Jesus Our Lord, have I not?" This was an
essential qualification of an apostle. Their task was to be witnesses
of the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 1:22). It is true that others of the
apostles had been eyewitnesses of the things that occurred during the
ministry of the Lord (Lk 1:2; II Pet. 1:16; Heb. 2:3-4), but
the essential thing was that they should be witnesses of the resurrect
tion (Acts 2:32). .
.This was so important in the life and ministry of Paul that Luke
who records the story of his conversion mentions it three times, twice
in Paul's own words (Acts 9:3-6; 22:5-11; 26:12^20). In the list
of appearances of Our Lord, Paul gives this humble but significant
testimony: "and. last of all, as to the child untimely born, he ap-
peared to me also (I Cor. 15:8).
ore 'not "ye my work in the Lord? — We can show that an affirmative
answer is implied by stating in this way: "You are my work in the
Lord, are you not?" No one of them could deny it. They had heard the
gospel from the lips of the apostle. Their faith in Christ depended
upon it. Their very hope of eternal life in Him- was based on the
gospel Paul preached. When they admitted this, they also had to
admit that he was an apostle and that he was free in the Lord.
// to others I am not an apostle.-— Paul had his critics at Corinth, but
it is doubtful if the members of the church were in the group that de-
nied his apostleship. Some were for Cephas, some for Apollos, and
some for Paul. But this seems to be a matter of leaders and not a
question as to Paul's apostleship. Then who were they who were deny-
ing that he was an apostle? In all probability, the Judaizers. These,
whom he calls false brethren, had disrupted the liberty of the
churches of Galatia and had attempted to do so in Jerusalem (Gal.
2:4-5). Paul mentions these critics in II Cor 10:7-11. "If any man
trusteth in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again
with himself, that, even as he is Christ's, so also are we. For though
I should glory somewhat abundantly concerning the authority (which
the Lord gave for building you up, and not casting you down), I
shall not be put to shame: that I may not seem as if I would terrify
you by my letters. For his letters, they say, are weighty and strong;
but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account. Let such
a one reckon this, that, what we are in word by letters when we are
absent, such are we also in dead when we are present." He speaks of
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CHAPTER NINE 9:2-5
them ironically as "the very chiefest apostles" (II Cor 11:15). He
says that "such are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning them-
selves into apostles of Christ" (II Cor 11:13).
yet at least I am with you. — The Corinthians of all people could
scarcely afford to deny his apostleship for they had become Christians
through his preaching. This reminder also lays the ground for his
claim to the right to support from them which he develops later in
the chapter. "He could not prove to any one that he had seen the
Lord; but the Corinthians at any rate had no need of such evidence
to convince them that he was an Apostle. He seems to be glancing
at the rival teachers who questioned his claim to the title ( Plummer,
ICC, First Corinthians, p. 178)
for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. — A seal stamped
on a document certified that it was genuine and that it was trust-
worthy. The Christian life of the Corinthians was the seal that certi-
fied that Paul was a genuine apostle of Christ and that he was to be
trusted. He adds, "My defense to them that examine me is this." Some
commentators take this statement to refer to what follows, but it
makes good sense to take it with what goes before, for it really com-
pletes his statement about the defense he had made for his apostleship.
Have we no right to eat and drink? — This question containing a
double negative is so framed as to imply a negative answer: It isn't
that we do not have a right to eat and drink, is it?" Who could deny
him the right to food and drink as a result of his work? Having
established, at least to the Corinthians, that he was an apostle, he
began a series of arguments to establish his right to support.
right to lead about a wife that is a believer. — His question is about
his right to be accompanied on his missionary journeys by a wife
who is a Christian. This had nothing to do with whether or not he
was married. See chapter seven for the discussion of this point. He
is merely arguing his right to do so, not stating as a fact that he
is being accompanied by a wife. This, it seems, is another of his rights
which he had given up for the sake of his work in the gospel.
The word translated "believer" is actually "sister." The misunder-
standing of this text that was used by some at a later time to support
the practice of entering into some kind of "spiritual" marriage has
no support in the correct interpretation of the passage. "Sister" must
mean that the wife was to be a Christian. His question was: "It
isn't that we do not have a right to be accompanied on our journeys
by a Christian wife, is it?" Who could deny him the right?
159
9:5 I CORINTHIANS
the rest of the apostles. — Paul had the same right as the rest of the
apostles to claim support for himself and a family. We have nothing
in Scripture to show that any of them were married except Cephas.
One of the outstanding miracles of Jesus' ministry was the healing
of Peter's wife's mother (Lk 4:38). But the absence of evidence
does not prove that the others were not married, and Paul seems
to imply that they were .
and the brethem of the Lord. — When Jesus came into His own coun-
try and entered the synagogue and taught the people, they were
astonished at His wisdom and said, "Is not this the carpenter's son?
is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James and Joseph,
and Simon? And his sisters, are they not all with us (Matt. 13:55-
56)? It would seem that those who knew thq family of Jesus under-
stood that His brethren were the children of Joseph and Mary. This
is the natural thing to suppose, 'although some have suggested that
these whom Matthew calls brothers were cousins or the children of
Joseph by some former marriage. Such inventions of the imagination
are not necessary in the light of the plain statement of Matthew
(Mat. 1:25). After the birth of Jesus, Joseph and Mary reared a
family who are known as "the brethren of the Lord."
John records that "even his brethren did not believe on him" dur-
ing His ministry (John 7:5). But this does not indicate that they
joined with the Jews who hated: Him and sought to kill Him (John
7:1). Some of His friends at one time thought that "he was beside
himself" (Mark 3:21), and came to rescue Him from the crowds
that gathered about Him to the extent that "they could not so much
as eat bread" (Mark 3:20). It was at this time that His mother and
His brethren came and standing outside the circle of the crowd sent unto
Him asking Him to go home with them (Mark 3:31). This certainly
indicates that His family held Him in high esteem even though they
did not at the time recognize Him as Messiah. It was not until they
were compelled to do so by the force of the evidence of His resur-
rection that they were found in the company of believers ( Acts 1:14).
It is interesting to note that James, the author of he epistle that
bears his name and (we suppose) the brother of Jesus, calls him-
self "a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ" (James 1:1).
This is one of the strongest statements of the deity of Jesus that we
have. His brother had known Him as the oldest one of the family
and surely as a wonderful brother, and, when all the evidence was
in, they too accepted Him as their Lord. Paul mentions "James the
Lord's brother" as one of those whom he saw when he went to Jeru-
salem to visit Cephas (Gal. 1 : 19 ) •
160
CHAPTER NINE 9:5,6
We have no record in Scripture as to the marital status of these
brethren of Our Lord, but we can safely assume that Paul did know
about them and that this information was generally known. His
point in mentioning them in exactly the same as in mentioning the
right of the apostles to receive support for their families.
and Cephas? — The prominence of Cephas (Peter) justified Paul in
mentioning him, although everyone knew that he was one of the
apostles. His prominence led some to ascribe preeminence to Peter,
something that is in no way supported in Scriptures. Paul mentions
him because he must have been well known to the Corinthians (1:12;
3:22). His point is that he had just as much right as Cephas to re-
ceive his support from those to whom he preached the gospel.
Or I only and Barnabas. — It is interesting that Paul should mention
Barnabas, his associate at Antioch and companion on the first mis-
sionary journey (Acts 11:22-26; 13:1-3). They had parted company
over John Mark just before starting the second journey that finally
led Paul to Corinth (Acts 15:2, 25-26, 31-41). The reference to
Mark in Col. 4:10 and II Tim. 4:11 and this one to Barnabas suggest
that the "sharp contention" between them was a matter of policy
and not a personal quarrel unbecoming to Christian brethren.
Were Paul and Barnabas, for some strange reason, to be excluded
from this right to refrain from working for their living in order
that their whole time might be given to the preaching of the gospel?
Paul is only arguing for the right. The Corinthians were well
aware of the fact that when he came to Corinth he made his own
living, at least in part, by tentmaking (Acts 18:1-3). But tentmak-
ing, it seems, was only temporary, for other churches sent support
to him from time to time. "Ye yourselves also know, ye Philip-
pians, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from
Macedonia, no church had fellowship with me in the matter of giving
and receiving but ye only; for even in Thessalonica ye sent once and
again unto my need" (Phil. 4:15-16). Paul called the attention of
the Corinthians to this later. He asked, "Did I commit a sin a abasing
myself that ye might be exalted, because I preached to you the gospel
of God for naught? I robbed other churches, taking wages of them
that I might minister unto you; and when I was present with you and
was in want, I was not a burden on any man; for the brethren, when
they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my want; and
in everything I kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so
will I keep myself" (II Cor. 11:7-9).
161
9:8-11 I CORINTHIANS
Do I speak these things after the manner of men? — In arguing his
right to receive support, Paul turns to some everyday examples to
prove his point. The soldier doesn't provide his own rations; the
one who plants a vineyard expects to eat the fruit it produces; the
one who feeds a flock expects to use the milk of the flock for food.
All of these are supported by the work they do.
or saith not the law the same thing? — He appealed to the higher
authority of the law of Moses to further emphasize his right. The
law said, "Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the
corn" (Deut. 25:4). It was necessary, of course, for Paul to show
how this rule applied to him. He asks, "is it for the oxen that God
careth?" While, it is true that the original provision was for the
protection of the oxen, Paul is suggesting that it was not only for
them that God cares. Certainly God who provided that the ox should
be fed from the work he was doing would have even more concern
that His apostles receive support from their work of preaching His
gospel. He adds, "For our sakes it was written." Two more examples
are used to enforce this application: The man who plows the field
ought to plow in hope of having a share in the crop he is going to
raise. The man who threshes ought to do so with the hope of par-
taking of the harvest.
// we sowed unto you spiritual things,- — This is the real issue: He
had shared the gospel message with them; they believed the word
of the cross which he preached; they believed it and got themselves
baptized, and thus they were washed, they were sanctified, they
were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit
of our Lord (1 Cor. 6:11). These were the spiritual things they re-
ceived as a result of his labors among them.
is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things? — The argu-
ment is clear enough. He did have an indisputable right to receive
support from them. In reality, this was a small matter in comparison
to the blessing they had received through his efforts in their behalf.
By "carnal things" he refers to material things such as food and
drink. He had used the word "carnal" in a different sense in 3:1-3.
See notes on these verses.
Robertson, in Word Pictures, Vol. IV, page 145, assumes that
Paul teaches the same lesson in Gal. 6:6. It is highly probable, how-
ever, that that passage suggests the mutual obligation of teacher and
those who are taught to actually share in the good things of the
gospel message.
162
CHAPTER NINE 9:11,12
// others partake of this right over you. — This is apparently a refer-
ence to those same men who were questioning Paul's apostleship.
They, in all probability, had been taking support from the Corin-
thians. Paul refused to do so that he might show what sort they were
(II Cor 11:12).
But for the sake of argument, he contends that if others had this
right the apostles were more entitled to it then they.
Text
9:12b-18. Nevertheless we did not use this right; but we bear all
things, that we may cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. 13
Know ye not that they that minister about sacred tilings eat of the
things of the temple, and they that wait upon the altar have their
portion with the altar? 14 Even so did the Lord ordain that they
that proclaim the gospel should live of the gospel. 15 But I have used
none of these things: and I write not these things that it may be so
done in my case; for it were good for me rather to die, than that any
man should make my glorying void. 16 For if I preach the gospel,
I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; for woe is
unto me, if I preach not the gospel. 17 For if I do this of mine own
will, I have a reward: but if not of mine own will, I have a steward-
ship intrusted to me. 18 What then is my reward? That, when I
preach the gospel, I may make the gospel without charge, so as not
to use to the full my right in the gospel.
Why He Did Not Make Use of His Right ( 12b-18)
Commentary
Nevertheless we did not use this right:- — At this point, as we read
the letter, we might expect him to say that he now expects them to
make this support available to him also. The Corinthians, of course,
knew that he had not taken support from them. They may have been
unprepared for the turn of thought, but it was clear to them that
although he had proved his right he was not taking advantage of it.
He endured all the hardships that had come to him at Corinth; he
worked with his own hands at one time to support himself; he had
waited until the brethren from Macedonia arrived with support.
Surely he knew "how to be abased, and how also to abound: in every-
thing and in all things he had learned the secret both to be filled and
to be in want" (Phil. 4:12).
that we cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. — Under no cir-
cumstances was Paul going to let personal needs hinder his dedication
to Christ and his determination to preach the word of the cross.
163
9:12,13 I CORINTHIANS
Lack of adequate support for the ministry has often hindered the
progress of the gospel of Christ. .Those who argue that Paul recom-
mended "tentmaking" as a proper way to support the ministry fail to
see the underlying reason for his attitude toward receiving support
from the Corinthians. No minister, Paul is particular, can do his
best in presenting the gospel if he has to give too much time to
the task of making a living, or, as it often happens, to living on
what he makes. On the other hand, no man should enter the ministry
as a means of gaining a livelihood. When churches awake to their
opportunities and privileges, the minister and the missionary will be
more adequately supported.
they that minister about sacred things.^-Lest anyone should misun-
derstand what Paul had just said, he adds two more arguments to
support his position that the gospel minister has a right to be sup-
ported by his work. First, those who ministered about sacred things
and those who waited upon the altar ate of the things of the temple
and had their portion with the altar. He had pointed out that the
principle of support from work was well known in ordinary human
experience and that it was also supported by Scripture. Now he turns
to sacred things to indicate that the same thing is true in that area
also. Second, he calls attention to the fact that the Lord had ordained
that they that proclaim the gospel should live of the gospel.
The law on this point, so far as the Jewish temple is concerned,
is found in a number of places (Lev. 6:16, 26; 7:31-38; Num.
18:8). It was sadly abused by some as in the case of the sons of
Eli (I Sam. 2:12-17, 27-36). The priests were accustomed to share
in the meats that the people offered as sacrifices. While the meat was,
boiling, they would take a three-pronged fork and thrust it into the
meat, taking for their portion all that clung to the fork. But these
young men, Hophni and Phinehas, treated the offering of the Lord
with contempt and demanded that they be given raw meat to roast
before any of it was offered to the Lord. They greedily looked upon
the sacrifices of the people and demanded the choicest parts for
themselves. It is barely possible that some ministers and missionaries
today with extravagant tastes have hindered the cause of the gospel
by demanding more for themselves than they have any right to re-
ceive or than people are able to supply. But this was the exception
in Old Testament times and today also if it does exist.
164
CHAPTER NINE 9:l4
Even so did the Lord ordain. — God gave orders that the priests of
the temple should be supported; so also did Jesus ordain that the
gospel minister shoud be supported. These are the words of the Lord
as reported by Matthew and Luke: "The laborer is worthy of his
food" (Matt. 10:10); "And in that same house remain, eating and
drinking such things as they give: for the laborer is worthy of his
hire" (Luke 10:7). Paul has an additional word to say on the sub-
ject: "Let elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor,
especially those who labor in the word and in teaching. For the
Scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out
the corn. And, The laborer is worthy of his hire" (I Tim. 5:17-18).
There is no reference to the tithe in this passage unless it be as-
sumed that the offerings were a part of the tithe. Even if such were
the case, it cannot be used as a valid argument for or against tithing
today.
Some argue from the fact that Abraham gave a tenth of the chief
spoils to Melchizeded — and through him even Levi paid tithes — that
the Christian is under obligation by the law of the tithe to give a
tenth of his income to the church. The only valid conclusion that
can be drawn from this incident is that Christ, the high priest after
the order of Melchiaedek, is superior to the Levitical priests.
It is a well known fact that the Jews did greatly abuse the matter
of tithing. Malachi said, "And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy
name? Ye offer polutted bread upon mine altar. And ye say, Wherein
have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of Jehovah is
contemptible. And when ye offer the blind for sacrifice, it is no evil!
Present it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased" (Mai. 1:6-8) ?
The prophet's challenge is: Try to pay your taxes with the things you
bring to the Lord and see if your government will accept them.
But the fact that some abused their privilege in making an offer-
ing to die Lord does not prove that the Christian is by law obligated
to pay a tithe to the church. What then is the basis oi giving for the
support of the gospel? (1) Proportionate giving, "as he may pros-
per" (I Cor 16:2); (2) Not commandment but love (II Cor 8:8);
(3) Readiness, for "if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according
as a man hath and not according as he hath not" (II Cor. 8:12);
(4) equality (II Cor 8:14); (5) Willing gift, not of necessity (II
Cor 9:5, 7); (6) "As each hath purposed in his heart" (II Cor. 9:7;
(7) A cheerful gift, for God loveth a cheeful giver" (II Cor 9:7).
165
9:14-18 I CORINTHIANS
Tithing is a good basis for a Christian to adopt as a beginning
point, but it cannot be argued from Scripture that it is "an eternal
principle of giving." The only point being made here is that tithing
is not a requirement of the New Testament, but this should not be
used as an excuse for not giving. There is certainly nothing against
adopting the principle of the tithe if one should care to do so, but
love for Christ should lead one to do far more than he would as a
matter of law. It is my conviction that love for the Lord and the
privilege of participating in the spread of the gospel will bring more
money into the church than all the arguments for tithing as a law of
giving.
And I write not. — So strong had been the argument for the support
of the gospel minister that the apostle felt the need to state again
that he did not use this right and that he was not writing to give
the impression that he wanted to use it now. Far from it!
good for me rather to die. — The apostle's deep feeling on this issue
is seen in the structure of the sentence. He says, "I would rather die
than — ," but the alternative is not stated even though it is clearly
implied — "than have such a thing happen in my case and destroy my
blasting in preaching the gospel without charge." He seemed to be
in a hurry to add, "No one shall make my boasting void." This boast-
ing was his reward, that is, boasting in the fact that he could preach
the gospel without charge.
necessity is laid upon me.— He could not boast that he was preach-
ing the gospel. Unseemly vanity is sometimes seen in preachers and
missionaries who boast of their sacrifice in preaching the gospel. But
Paul considered that he was under obligation to "Greeks and to
Barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish" to share the gospel
with them. The very possession of the gospel makes us debtors to
those who do not know of the redeeming love of Christ.
Paul was compelled to preach the gospel of Christ. He said, "Woe
is unto me if I preach not the gospel." Christ had commissioned hirri
(Acts 26:16-18); the Holy Spirit had given orders for the church
at Antioch to set him aside for the task (Acts 13:1-3). Therefore,
he was under obligation to preach the word of the cross, for he was
like the household slave who was under obligation to care for his
master's affairs (Lk 17:10; I Cor 4:1-2). ■
But there was a place for him to exercise his freedom in the matter:
he could preach the gospel without charge. This was his reward, and
he would not allow anyone to take it from him.
166
CHAPTER NINE 9:19,20
Text
9:19-27. Por though I was free from all men, I brought myself
under bondage to all, that I might gain the more. 20 And to the Jews
I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under
the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; 21 to them
that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God,
but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law.
22 To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am
become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. 23
And I do all things for the gospel's sake, that I may be a joint par-
taker thereof. 24 Know ye not that they that run in a race run all,
but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain. 25 And
every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all
things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an
incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I,
as not beating the air: 27 but I buffet my body, and bring it into
bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I
myself should be rejected.
Paul Preached to Win (19-27)
Commentary
For though I was free. — He had laid this principle down in the be-
ginning of the discussion of his right to receive support. He was
not bound by the customs, regulations, and practices of others. He
was free to forgo accepting support that the gospel of Christ be not
hindered.
under bondage to all. — He was a slave to all in that he had a ser-
vice to perform in their behalf. By preaching without charge he was
able to win more than he would have done if he had accepted support.
Why? Evidently there were some at Corinth who were constantly
looking for opportunities to discredit him by saying that he was work-
ing for money. He removed the possibility completely, and in so
doing was able to win more for Christ. Moreover, he was also able
to gain much more satisfaction from his work in this way (this is not
stated in the text).
to the Jews I became as a Jew. — Paul used his right as a Jew to go
into the synagogues on the sabbath day and, when called upon, go
speak to them. God providentially provided for the propogation of
the gospel through the scattering of the Jews over the known world
before the Day of Pentecost. "For Moses from generations of old
hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues
every sabbath" (Acts 15:21). When Paul came to Antioch of Pisidia,
167
9:20-22 I CORINTHIANS
he entered the synagogue on the sabbath and sat down. After the
reading of the law, he was invited to speak. He stood up and with
characteristic gesture urged those present to hear his message. Care-
fully and skillfully, he led the audience through the familiar but
ever interesting story of God's dealings with the Jews. Then he
declared that God had fulfilled His promise given through the pro-
phets in the resurrection of Jesus through whom he proclaimed
the remission of sins. When the meeting was over, many of those
present urged Paul to speak to them again the next Sabbath. See
Acts 13:13-52.
When Paul selected Timothy to travel with him, he had him
circumcised because of the Jews that were in that part of the country.
Timothy's mother was a Jewess, but His father was a Greek. See
Acts 16: 1-2. In the case. of Titus, however, on whom some tried
to force the law of circumcision, Paul refused, to be bound by. the
opinions of men, since Titus was a Greek. See Gal. 2:1-3.
not being myself under the law. — Paul did not carry this matter of
conformity to the point of keeping the law in every instance. Indeed,
he had been freed from the power of the law by becoming a Christian
(Gal. 2:19-22). As a Jew, however, he could approve of circumci-
sion, keep the vows of his Jewish background (Acts 18:18), and
even go into the temple with offerings along with other Jewish
brethren (Acts 21:17-26). •■■•.-,
to them that are without law.~- -Paul associated with Gentiles -as if
he were one of them. He defended his right publically when Peter
refused any longer to eat with the Gentiles because of his fear of
the Jews (Gal. 2:11-21). This whole course of action reminds us
of Jesus : who. associated with publicans and sinners, not as one of
them, but as the Good Physician who came to minister to the sick
and the lost. Paul was always careful to conform to God's law, for
he was under the law of Christ, just as he said to the Galatians,
"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ"
(Gal. 6:2).
To the Weak I became weak.— This is what he wrote about it in
the second letter to the Corinthians: 'Who is weak, and I am not
weak? who is caused to stumble, and I burn not? If I must needs
glory, I will glory of the things that concern my weakness" (II Cor.
11:29-30). He fully understood and appreciated the problem of the
man who was weak — that is, who did not have the information
he should have had about idols and who, by the wrong example,
might have been led to violate his conscience and so perish. An ex-
cellent example of the meaning of "empathy."
168
CHAPTER nine 9:22-25
that 1 may by all means save some, — He was concerned about the
salvation of all men — the Jew and the Gentile, the weak and the
strong. He used every possible means to win them to Christ. At that,
only some responded to the gospel invitation.
that I may be a joint partaker, — When Jesus was on the cross there
were some. who taunted Him saying, "He saved others, himself he
cannot save." How true! But how many Christians have caught the
point of Paul's remark? He did all things for the gospel's sake in
order that he might become a partaker also in its blessings. Does he
not suggest that there is some real doubt about participating in the
joy of heaven if we fail to participate in the spreading of the gospel?
they that run a race, — Two illustrations taken from the athletic games
illustrate what he has just said about the necessity of doing all things
for the sake of the gospel that he might become a partaker of its
blessings. They also illustrate the great principle which he had been
discussing: the limitation of Christian liberty. In the tenth chapter,
he adds another illustration to shown what happens in the case of
the one who fails to observe this principle.
In the race, there were many runners, but the prize was for
one. Paul says, "Even so, run that ye may attain." All of you are
to run so that you may receive the prize of eternal life.
exercise self-control in all things. — Here is the principle of limita-
tion of liberty. The athlete had to observe the rules of training if he
expected to win the prize. There were some things that he had to give
up. Just so, there were some things that the Christian had to give
up, such as liberty to eat food used in idolatrous worship — if he
was to win the weak brother. This is, of course, just one of the many
applications of the principle of limiting liberty for the sake of others.
The rules of the game are given in the Bible. For a summary of them
see II Pet. 1:5-11 and Gal. 5:22-24.
Crown. — This is the wreath that symbolized victory, not the diadem
of kingly authority. But for the Christian, it was a thing that did
not perish. It is the inheritance "incorruptible, undefiled, and that
fades not away" (I Pet. 1:3-5 ). It is the crown of righteousness which
the Lord will give to those who have loved His appearing (II Tim.
4:8). It is the crown of life for the victor over temptation and sin
which the Lord promised to those who are faithful to the end (James
1:8; Rev. 2:10). It is the crown of glory that fades not away which
the chief Shepherd will give to those who have cared for the flock
when He comes (I Pet. 5:4).
169
9:26,27 i Corinthians
I therefore run, as not uncertainly. — Paul's purpose in preaching
was to win some to Christ; his goal was life eternal. Too many are
like the Israelites who lost sight of, their goal — the promised land.
Perhaps there is too much pointless preaching, too much aimless
holding of services, too much organization for the sake of organiza-
tion. The aim of church activity should be to evangelize and to
educate. "Make disciples, baptizing them into the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," and of equal im-
portance, "teaching them to observe all thing whatsoever I have
commanded you" (Matt. 28:18-20). And we must organize to
evangelize as well as to educate. There is just as much need for a
permanent director of evangelism in every congregation as there is for
a director of education. Both are necessary! Without them, we are
likely to be found running without a goal.
The writer of Hebrews sounds a timely warning to all on this is-
sue: "Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of
you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God"
(Heb. 3:12). And again, "Let us therefore give diligence to enter
into that rest, that no man fall after the same example of disobedi-
ence" (Heb. 4:11).
I buffet my body. — Literally, strike under the eye. Paul takes this fig-
ure from the boxing match. He was in the fight to win. He landed
blows where they counted. He gave his opponent — his body— a black
eye, the knockout blow. Those who interpret Romans 7:14-27 to
mean that Paul constantly fought a losing battle with sin need to con-
sider his remarks in this verse. He did face constant opposition from
Satan, but he was equipped to conquer and that he did (Eph. 6:12-
18). In this life, we too have a struggle with Satan, but there is no
need to let him win; there is no need for us to fight as one beating the
air; there is every reason why we must overcome.
/ myself be rejected. — No man can safely say until the good fight is
finished that he has gained the victor's crown. See I Cor. 10:12. The
word translated "rejected" means rejected after a test has been made.
It is the assayer's term for that which did not stand the test or meet
with approval. It is used in Romans 1:28 where it is translated
"reprobate." Those who rejected God were given up to a "reprobate
mind" — that is, considered to be utterly worthless. It describes the
one who may be disqualified in a race. This was Paul's great problem.
He proclaimed the message of Christ in such a manner that he would
not be disqualified, that is, be lost. He was careful to observe the rules
of the game and to keep the goal in mind so as not to become dis-
qualified after preaching to save others.
170
CHAPTER NINE
Summary
The principle of the limitation of Christian liberty which was intro-
duced in chapter eight is applied to Paul's rights as a Christian and
an apostle in this chapter. He begins with a series of questions that
called for affirmative answers. As one who is free and who qualifies
as an apostle of Christ, he has certain rights. He cites as proof of his
apostleship the fact that he had seen the Lord. Others might deny that
he was an apostle, but the Corinthians could not for their position in
Christ depended on their belief of the word of the cross which they
had heard from Paul. Since he is an apostle, he has a right to be
supported by the preaching of the gospel. Other rights are mentioned
which the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas enjoyed,
but the main issue in the discussion is the right to support. The reason
for it is seen in the possibility that others were exercising this tight
over the Corinthians, a thing that Paul was determined to forgo in
order not to hinder the gospel, that is, to prevent some from saying
that he was preaching just for the sake of making a living.
He proves his right to support by reference to the soldier, the
keeper of the vineyard, the shepherd, and all who worked with the
hope of partaking of the results of their labors. These examples are
not limited to human experience, for the law said, "You shall not
muzzle the ox while it is treading the grain on the threshing floor."
This principle is seen in the work of the farmer who plows the field
in hope of enjoying the fruit of his labor and threshes the grain in
hope of eating the bread that is made from it.
But Paul refused to use his right for the sake of the gospel of
Christ. He insisted, however, that he had a right to be supported,
for he called attention to those who served in the temple and waited
upon the altar. They were supported by the work they did. Then he
added, "Just so, the Lord ordained that they that preach the gospel
should get their living from their work."
Nevertheless, he was not writing in order to receive support at that
time or at any future time, for he declared that he would rather die
than have anyone make void his glorying in the fact that he was free
to preach the gospel without charge. Preaching the gospel was a
necessity. He was a servant of the Lord and was bound to be faithful
in the task assigned to him. But he was free to praech it without re-
ceiving support for so doing. His purpose was to avoid doing anything
or letting others do anything to discredit the gospel. He endeavored
by becoming all things to all men to win some to Christ and be-
171
I CORINTHIANS
come a fellow-partaker in the blessing of the gospel, that is, be
saved himself. Just as the athlete must exercise self-control in all
things, so Paul was willing to renounce some of his rights as an
apostle to make sure of winning the race and conquering his body so
that he would not be rejected after he had preached to save others.
Questions
1. What is the relation between the subject matter of this chapter
and chapter eight?
2. What freedom was Paul claiming by his question, "Am I not
free"? •
3. What other aspects of Christian freedom are explained in the
New Testament?
4. Why did Paul frame some of his questions in this chapter so as
to suggest an affirmative answer?
5. Why did he ask, "am I not an apostle"?
6. Why did he ask, "Have I not seen Jesus our Lord"?
7. What place in the preaching of the apostles did the resurrection
of Jesus have?
8. What distinction is there between the witness of Paul and the
other apostles?
9. How is the importance of the appearance of Jesus to Paul shown
by Luke?
10. How did Paul describe the appearance of Jesus to him in this
letter to the Corinthians?
11. Our text frames the questions this way: "are not ye my work in
the Lord?" How can it be framed so as to show that an affirma-
tive answer was suggested by Paul?
12. Why did he ask the question?
13. Did the Corinthians deny his apostleship?
14. Who, in all probability, did deny it?
15. What is the connection between the fact of Paul's apostleship
and his freedom?
16. What defense did Paul make of his apostleship in II Corinthians?
17. Who were those whom Paul called "the very chiefest apostles?"
18. Why does Paul suggest that the Corinthians couldn't afford to
deny that he was an apostle?
19. What did he mean when he said, "You are the seal of my apostle-
ship?"
20. To what does the expression, "My defense is this" refer?
21. Why did Paul ask this question which implied a negative answer:
"Have we no right to eat and drink"?
172
CHAPTER NINE
22. Why did he mention his right to be accompanied on his mission-
ary journeys by a Christian wife?
23. How are we to understand that the words of the text mean "a
Christian wife"?
24. Why did he mention the rights of the rest of the apostles?
25. What of their marital status?
26. Why were the names of the brothers of Jesus?
27. What suggestion does Scripture give to show that they were the
children of Joseph and Mary?
28. What was the attitude of Jesus' brothers toward Him during His
ministry?
29. What finally convinced them that He was the Lord?
30. Why did Paul mention Cephas in addition to the apostles?
31. What is the history of the relation of the work of Barnabas to
Paul's?
32. What did his question suggest as to the limitation of their rights?
33. What examples form everyday life did Paul present to support
his view that he had a right to receive support from his preaching
the gospel?
34. What evidence did he present from Scripture to prove the same
thing?
35. What did he mean by sowing spiritual things and reaping carnal
things?
36. In what sense did he use "carnal things" in 3:1-3?
37. To whom did he refer by the statement "If others partake of this
right over you"?
38. Why did he mention them?
39. How was Paul supported at Corinth?
40. Is "tentmaking" to be desired as a means of supporting the
minister?
41. Why, then, did Paul resort to it?
42. What are the two additional arguments which Paul presented to
prove his right to receive support?
43. Why was it necessary to mention them?
44. How did the sons of Eli abuse the law regarding the priest's
portion of the sacrifice?
45 . Where is the order of the Lord concerning support of the gospel
worker found?
46. What else did Paul say about it?
47. What is the history of the teaching of the Bible on the matter
of tithing?
173
I CORINTHIANS
48. What are some of the principles regulating Christian giving?
49- If we assume that tithing is not presented as a command in the
New Testament, can we safely use this as an excuse for giving less
to the support of the Lord's work?
50. Why was it necessary for Paul to say that he was not writing that
he might receive support?
51. How deeply did Paul feel on the matter of preaching the gospel
without charge?
52. Why was he determined to do- it this way?
53. What did he mean by saying /'necessity is laid upon me"?
54. Why did he say, 'Woe is me if I preach not the gospel"?
55. What was his reward in preaching as he did?
56. In what sense was he under bondage to all?
57. How did he use his Jewish background to gain Jews?
58. What limit did he place on the matter of compliance with
Jewish customs?
59. How is this illustrated by the cases of Timothy and Titus?
60. As a Christian, what law was Paul under?
61 . Since he was a Jew, how did he approach Gentiles?
62. How did he approach those who were weak?
63. What was his two-fold concern in preaching the gospel?
64. What lesson did he teach from the figure of the race?
65. Where are the rules of the race of life found?
66. What kind of crown is the Christian to strive for?
67. How is it described?
68. What was Paul's attitude toward running the race of life?
69- What is the goal of church activity?
70. How did Paul show that he had assumed the role of victor in this
life's struggle against sin?
7 1 . Why did he say, "lest I myself be rejected" ?
For Discussion
1. Methods of Evangelism to make the church effective today.
2. How can the educational program in your church be improved to
make it effective in producing strong Christians.
3. What can you do to make sure that you are living a victorious
life for Christ?
174
CHAPTER TEN
Analysis
A, Paul wanted the brethren to know that the remark he had just
made about being rejected was illustrated by the experience of
the fathers (1-13).
1. He reminds them of the things of that experience which il-
lustrated the possibility of successfully running the race (1-4).
a) Things that were related to the beginning of the race.
( 1 ) All were under the cloud.
(2) All passed through the sea (thus escaping from
Egypt.)
(3) All were baptized unto Moses (submitting to his
divinely appointed leadership) in the cloud and in
the sea.
b) Things that were related to the running of the race.
( 1 ) All ate the same spiritual food.
(2 ) All drank the same spiritual drink.
( 3 ) That is, they kept drinking from a spiritual rock that
accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
2. He reminds them also of their tragic failure in the wilderness
journey (5).
a) With most of them (all but two) God was not well
pleased.
b) They were overthrown in the wilderness (because they
lost sight of their goal, the promised land ) .
3. He points out that these things were examples for the Chris-
tians (6-11).
a ) They were examples to keep the Christians from the long-
ing desire for things that were evil ( 6-10 ) .
( 1 ) Idolatry and its attendant sins ( 7 ) .
( 2 ) Fornication that some committed which resulted in
the fall of 23,000 of them.
(3) Making trial of the Lord that caused them to perish
by the plague of serpents.
(4) Murmuring (grumbling against God's program for
them) that caused them to perish by the destroyer.
b) These were examples written to admonish the Christians
upon whom the ends of the ages are come (11).
175
I CORINTHIANS
4. In the light of this, he presents a solemn exhortation (12-13).
a) He indicates that what happened to Israel can happen to
the Christian for he says, "Let him that thinketh he
standeth take heed lest he fall."
b) He shows, however, that one need not fall if he observes
these principles:
( 1 ) Temptations are on the human level.
(2) God is faithful and will not let you be tempted be-
yond your ability to withstand trial.
( 3 ) He will make the way of escape that you may be able
to endure it (God does His part; you must do yours).
B. Paul presents a strong plea for his beloved fellow-Christians to
flee from idolatry ( 14-22 ) .
1. He appeals to them as men who are capable of thinking to
decide for themselves the merits of what he is saying (14-18).
a) He points out the significance of the cup and the bread.
(1) As to the cup which he calls a cup of blessing and
which we bless, he asks, "It is a sharing in the blood
of Christ, is it not?"
(2) As to the bread which we break, he asks, "It is a
sharing in the body of Christ, is it not?"
(a) This means that we are many are one body as
represented by the one loaf.
(b) That this is true is indicated by the fact that
we all partake of the loaf.
b) He cites the example of Israel and asks, "The one eat-
ing the sacrifices are sharers in the altar, are they not?"
2. He shows what is implied by this reasoning ( 19-22 ) .
a) He asks, "Is the thing sacrificed to the idol anything, or
is the idol anything?"
b) He answers by showing what is wrong with this practice:
( 1 ) Pagans do sacrifice to demons and not to God.
(2) He does not want his brethren to become sharers
with demons.
c) He proceeds to point out the impossibility of a Christian
sharing in two* completely opposite forms of worship.
( 1 ) You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and of demons.
(2) You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the
table of demons.
(3) By two 1 questions, he shows the folly of attempting
to do so.
176
CHAPTER TEN
(a) Are we provoking the Lord to jealousy (by
such conduct) ?
( b ) We are not stronger than He, are we?
Paul cites the law of expediency to indicate the rule of conduct
for one who might be involved in eating meat sacrificed to idols
(23-33).
1. The principle involved in the law of expediency (22-24) .
a) What is lawful should also build up the body of Christ;
"All things are lawful; but not all things build up."
b) What is lawful should also benefit one's neighbor: "Let
no man seek his own, but his neighbor's good."
2. The principle applied to food sold in the markets (25-30).
a) Where no investigation is necessary:
( 1 ) No need to investigate it's source for the sake of
conscience.
(2) Why this is so: "The earth is the Lord's and the ful-
ness thereof."
b) Where there is no reason to- refuse an invitation to dine
with one who is not a believer:
( 1 ) If you are invited and you are so disposed, go.
(2) No need to investigate the source of food set before
you for the sake of conscience.
c) Where it might be necessary to forgo eating in the event
it is pointed out that the food had been used in idol
worship.
(1) The reason why this might apply:
(a) For the sake of the one who reveals the source
of the food.
(b) For the sake of conscience.
(2) Paul explains the matter of conscience in such a case:
(a) It is not the conscience of the believer who un-
derstands about idolatry.
(b) But it is for the sake of the other's conscience
who does not understand.
( 3 ) He explains how the principle of limitation of liberty
applies to such cases:
(a) Forgo eating, for why is my liberty judged
(condemned) by another's conscience — that is
of one who does not understand about idols?
(b) He gives thanks for the food, and asks, "Why
am I evil spoken of when I eat?" This too can
be avoided by forgoing the right to eat.
177
10:1 I CORINTHIANS
3. His concluding -statement of principles governing the matter
of eating meats sacrificed to idols (31-33).
a) In eating and drinking, "Do all things to the glory of
God."
b) Give no occasion of stumbling to Jews, Greeks, or to the
church of God.
c) Do not act selfishly, but for the good of the many just
as Paul does.
d) The goal to keep in mind: "That they may be saved."
Text
, 10:1-13. For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our
fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 and
were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and did all
eat the same spiritual food; 4 and did all drink the same spiritual
drink: for they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and
the rock was Christ. 5 Howbeit with most of them God was not well
pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 6 Now these
things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil
things, as they also lusted. 7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of
them; as it is written, The people Sat down to eat and drink, and
rose up to play. 8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them
committed, and fell in one, day three and twenty thousand. 9 Neither
let, Us make trial of the Lord, as some of them made trial, and perished
by the serpents. 10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured)
and perished by the destroyer. 11 Now these things happened unto
them by way of .example; and they were written for our admonition;
upon whom the ends of the ages are come. 12 Wherefore let him
that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 13 There hath nq
temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful,
who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but:
will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye mav
be able to endure it.
Lesson From the Experience of the Fathers ( 1-13 )
Commentary x
For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant. — The closing thought
of chapter nine about being rejected is continued in this chapter
as the word "for" indicates. It is well to watch for these connect
ing terms in order to keep in mind the progress of the apostle's
thinking. Too often we neglect these little words, especially when
we come to the chapter division and as a result neglect to see the close
connection between the chapters. '?
178
CHAPTER TEN 10:1
Paul is fond of the use of the term "brethren" because of his deep
love and concern for all the members of the family of God. This
word gives him an opportunity to show his concern particularly when
he must rebuke them for failures or solemnly warn them of the perils
that beset their way.
The word translated "ignorant" just as our own word simply means
without knowledge. But our word seems to be harsher than the term
Paul used. This may be the result of the way we use it or what we
imply by it. Paul certainly was not chiding them when he said, "I
would not have you ignorant." We are accustomed to a positive ex-
pression of this thought. We would prefer to say — and in doing so,
more nearly express Paul's thought and spirit — "I do not want you
to be without knowledge," or better, "I want you to know." He was
concerned that they know the lessons taught by the experience of
their fathers in the faith.
our fathers. — How could Paul take an example from the Old Testa-
ment Scriptures and use it with reference to a Gentile congregation?
How could he speak of the ancient Jews as their fathers? We are
aware of the fact that the church at Corinth was made up of Gentiles,
perhaps for the most part, but there were Jews in it also. The Jew
with his background of Old Testament history could be expected to
understand such an illustration. Gentiles also could appreciate these
Old Testament backgrounds just as we do today. God's kingdom is
made up of believers in Christ whose spiritual heritage goes back
to the faithful Abraham and to the nation that owes its origin to
him. Paul argues in Romans that Abraham was the father of us all,
hot just the Jews who believed but the believing Gentiles also (Rom.
4:11, 16-17). This is the reason, then, for calling their attention to
the fathers. The church recognizes no such distinctions Jews or Gen-
tiles (Gal. 3:28).
Paul used the experience of Israel as they escaped from Egypt to
show that the mere possession of rights, liberties, and blessings did
not in itself guarantee victory. The Isrealites had freedom, adequate
leadership, and divinely provided sustenance but failed to enter the
promised land. Their failure illustrates in a negative way what Paul
had presented in a positive form in his illustration of the one who
wins the race because he exercises self-control in all things.
all under the cloud. — God guided Israel through the trackless wild-
erness and protected them from the burning heat by day and gave
them light by night ( Ex. 1 3 : 2 1-22 ) .
179
10:1,2 I CORINTHIANS
Panic struck the fleeing Israelites as they came to the Red Sea.
Pharoah and the Egyptian armies closed in on them as they camped
by the sea. There was no possible way to go around the sea. There
was no way to retreat. They murmured in their fright and wished
they had died in Egypt. But "Moses said unto the people, Fear ye
not, stand still and see the salvation of Jehovah" (Ex. 14:13). They
could see the Egyptians in close pursuit, but Moses said they were
to see them no more. "The angel of God who went before the camp
of Israel, removed and went behind them: and it came between the
camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel" (Ex: 14:19-20). As the
children of Israel went through the sea on dry land, the Lord looked
forth from the pillar of fire and of cloud and caused the Egyptians
to be thrown into confusion as they saw that their chariots were be-
coming hard to move. Then Moses, at the command of the Lord,
stretched forth his staff over the sea and the Egyptian armies drowned
in the same sea through which the Israelites had passed in safety to
the other shore (Ex. 14:15-31).
The cloud, then, represents the blessing of guidance and protec-
tion. Paul wanted the Christians to remember this as he urged them
to follow the rules of self-control so that they would not be dis-
qualified in the race for the crown of life.
all passed through the jw.— Various attempts have been made to
discredit this statement. But the evidence of history as given in Exodus
is sufficient to justify Paul in saying that they all passed through
the sea. The assumption that they went through some shallow water
to the north will not fit the description of the event as presented
by Moses. To those who believe in God and His power, there is no
problem in accepting what Moses said about it. God who made the
universe and called the nation of Israel into existence was able to
roll back the waters of the sea and let His people pass through on
dry land.
were all baptized. — We have no clearer example showing that in
baptism the sinner is separated from his sins. Israel was separated
from the enemy in the Red Sea where the Egyptian army drowned.
The Corinthians were to remember that they had been baptized,
sanctified, and justified through the Lord Jesus Christ and in the
Spirit of our God. They were to enjoy the blessing of separation
from sin by following the rules of life's race that led to the crown of
life.
180
CHAPTER TEN 10:2-4
This incident also shows the action of baptism. There was a wall
of water on either side of the people as they passed through the seas
and the cloud was over them. They were baptized in the cloud and
in the sea, not just the sea. It took both to complete the figure. The
Egyptians were, of course, drowned in the sea, but this was not the
figure of baptism, for baptism represents the way of escape from
the bondage in sin.
unto Moses. — The preposition translated "unto" indicates progress
toward some goal. It is motion whether in space or thought realm,
It can be translated "into" or "for" or even "in" according to some
scholars. The latter is evidently true in the later development of
the language. But direction toward a goal or entrance into some-
thing or purpose seems to fit most of the cases in which it is used
in the New Testament. Their baptism did bring them into the state
;of submission to his leadership. It was for the purpose of separation
from Egypt and coming into the relationship that recognized Moses
and their leader that they were baptized.
Baptism for the Christian means separation from sin and accep-
tance of the leadership of Christ who has all authority in heaven
and on earth. He is both Lord and Christ. He saves, but He also
requires the Christian to acknowledge His authority. How else can the
Christian hope to run successfully the race and win the crown of
life?
did all eat the same spiritual food. — Israel, cut off from all source
of supply, was fed by the manna that God provided as they journeyed
from Sinai to the promised land. The manna ceased on the day after
the Israelites encamped at Gilgal where from that time on they were
to eat the fruit of the land, See Joshua 5:10-12. Long before that
time, however, Israel grew sick of the food that came from heaven.
They said, "Our soul loatheth this light bread" (Num. 21:5). But
imany generations later, the group that ate the loaves and fish that
Jesus miraculously supplied for them suggested that Moses had done
a superior thing in giving their fathers the manna. Jesus had to re-
mind them that it was God, not Moses, who gave the manna in the
wilderness (John 6:31-32).
The manna represents the blessing of sustenance enjoyed by Israel.
Thus it reminds the church at Corinth that they were being sustained
by the blessings that came from Christ.
■ did all drink the same spiritual drink. — According to the record,
water flowed from the rock only twice to quench the thrist of the
children of Israel. The first time was at Rephedim where the thirsty
181
10:4 I CORINTHIANS
people cried to Moses to give them water to drink. They murmured
against the Lord and charged Him with bringing them into the wilder-
ness to die of thirst. God said to Moses that He would stand before
him upon the rock in Horeb. Moses was told to strike the rock. Water
gushed out when he did it. See Ex. 17: 1-7.
The second time was at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin where
Miriam died. The people were again without water and again thf
grumbling complaint arose when they said* "Would that we had
died when our brethren died before Jehovah" (Num. 20:3). They
neither remembered the time when God gave them water from the
rock nor were they aware of the privileges that they were enjoying of
drinking from the spiritual rock that accompanied them. But once
again, the Lord told Moses to take the rod and assemble the people
and speak to the rock and bring forth to them water from the rock,
Moses said, "Hear now, ye rebels, shall we bring forth water out of
this rock" (Num. 20:11)? He struck the rock twice and water came 1
flowing from it to give the congregation and their cattle a drink;
But Moses failed to give glory to God for the water. The Lord said to
him, "Because ye believed not in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of
the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this assembly into
the land which I have given them" (Num. 20: 12 ) .
The expression "all did eat" considers the whole experience of
Israel during the time that the manna was supplied. In the same
way, the expression "all did drink" takes into consideration the whole
time during which the Lord provided water for their wilderness
journey. Twice on the journey, they drank from the water that came
from the rock, and they also drank from the streams and pools to
which the Lord led them. j
spiritual, — Why does Paul describe the food and drink of the Israel-
ites as spiritual? Some suggest that it was because God gave thq
food from heaven and the water from the rock. But Paul says that
they continued to drink of the spiritual rock that accompanied them.
A possible solution the problem is suggested by his remarks abouj;
the spiritual things he shared with the Corinthians in contrast to
the material things which he had a right to expect them to share
with him. That spiritual thing was the word of the cross that brought
spiritual life to them. He says that Israel continued to drink of
a spiritual rock that accompanied them and that rock was Christ,
This is not to say that the literal rock from which the water flowed,
was a type of Christ, but that there was a spiritual rock from which]
182
CHAPTER TEN 10:4,5
a life-giving stream flowed and that was Christ. A suggestion as to
the spiritual food they enjoyed in the wilderness is given in Moses'
words just before they went over into the promised land: "Man doth
not live by bread alone, but by everything that proceedeth out of the
mouth of Jehovah doth man live" (Deut. 8:3). Did Christ provide
through Moses some spiritual food and drink for the children of
Israel? His teaching did point to Christ (Deut. 18:15). Jesus said
that Moses wrote about Him (John 5:46). The real significance
of the manna is pointed out by Jesus in His discourse on the bread
of life which He delivered just after the miracle of feeding the five
thousand (John 6:31-35). It is possible that Paul is saying that
Christ was present with His people all along the wilderness journey
and that He was sustaining them spiritually by every word that pro-
ceeded out of His mouth for their direction, protection, and encourage-
ment. For the New Testament teaching about water as a symbol of
Christ, the source of eternal life, John 4:14 and 7:37-39. The Holy
Spirit was given to the apostles who believed on Christ and from
them He sent forth the message of eternal life that was like a flood
of life-giving water. On the Day of Pentecost, men received this
message of life and repented of their sins and were baptized for
the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38) .
with most of them God was not well pleased. — This is the point in
the illustration: Paul had certain rights and liberties as a Christian and
as an apostle, but he was willing to forgo his rights in order to
make sure of winning the crown of life and not be disqualified in
the race. The fathers had blessings, but were not willing to exercise
self-control in all things. Therefore they were overthrown in the
wilderness. They failed because they forgot their goal, the promised
land.
Paul says that with most of them God was not well pleased. In
fact, this included all of them of responsible age except Joshua and
Caleb. The spies who had been sent in to the land came back with
glowing reports of a land flowing with milk and honey, but they
also said that there were giants in the land. The people were filled
with fear and wanted to return to Egypt. Joshua and Caleb urged
them to go up and possess the land. They said, "If Jehovah delight
in us then will he bring us into this land and give it unto us" (Num.
14:8). Because they would not listen to the plea of these who had
confidence in God, the Lord said to them, "As I live, saith Jehovah,
surely as ye have spoken in my ears, so will I do to you: your dead
bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of
183
10:5-7 I CORINTHIANS
you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and
upward, that have murmured against me, surely ye shall not come
into' the land, concerning which I sware that I would make you
dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephuneh, and Joshua the
sonof Nun" (Num. 14:28-30).
This tragic failure, the details of which are given in the specific
cases that follow, is a solemn warning to the church at Corinth not
to follow their example. They were, however, well on their way
to do so as Paul plainly indicates.
these things were our examples. — We are indebted to the fathers for
so many things. The priesthood of the Old Testament time helps
us to appreciate our relation to Christ as high priest. The writer of
Hebrews helps us to see this as well as the lesson of the system of
worship in connection with the tabernacle. But in practical living, the
example of the Israelites from the time of their escape from Egypt
until they finally were located in the promised land is one filled with
both warnings and encouragements for the faithful follower of Christ.
we should not lust after evil things. — The word translated "lust"
simply means strong desire. That desire may be for what is good. In
that case it may be rendered "desire." For example, Jesus said that the
prophets desired to see the things which His disciples were permitted
to see (Matt. 13:17). The word is found again in its intensified
form in Jesus's statement about His desire to eat the passover before
His suffering (Lk 22:15). But when John speaks of the strong
desire for the things of evil, we translate this word as "the lust of
the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vain glory of life" (I John
2:16). For an example of the use of the term in both the good and
bad sense, see Gal. 5:17.
Paul's evident purpose in his strong admonition in this chapter
is to have the Corinthians have their hearts set on the things of
Christ rather than on the things of evil.
Neither be ye idolaters. — The experience of the fathers had a par-
ticular application to the problem of idolatry in Corinth. Just as
Israel pretended to worship God while partaking of idolatrous feasts
so some of the Corinthians were attempting to worship Christ and
at the same time participate in pagan worship. The incident to which
Paul refers is the sin of Israel at Sinai when they made the golden
calf and proclaimed a feast and said that these are the gods that
led us out of Egypt. See Ex. 32:7-8.
184
CHAPTER TEN 10:7-10
rose up to play. — This word was used to describe die activity of
children at play; but it was also used to describe the actions of the
children of Israel in their worship of the idols. It is even used to
describe David's expression of joy when the ark was brought up to
Jerusalem (II Sam. 6:14). It is sometimes translated "dance" but
with no reference to the modern dance which may often be des-
cribe 1 more accurately as "works of the flesh." See Gal. 5:19-21.
Neither let ns commit fornication,' — See comment on chapter five and
six for the situation that existed in the church at Corinth. Paul was
not dealing in mere hypothetical situations; he was facing the problem
that actually existed at Corinth. The incident in the experience of
the fathers to which he referred was their immoral conduct with the
daughters of Moab. See Num. 25:1-18. Balaam had attempted to
pronounce a curse on Israel but had been unable to do so. They
involved themselves, however, in a curse by their immoral conduct
that brought death to twenty-three thousand of them.
Neither let us make trial of the Lord. — This incident is described
in Num. 21:4-9. The people complained about the things the Lord
was doing for them. They were tired of the manna; they wanted to
go back to Egypt. The Lord sent fiery serpents among them to punish
them. Finally they acknowledged their sin and begged for relief.
Moses was instructed to make the bronze serpent and lift it up so
that those who were bitten could look at it and live. For further
history of this bronze serpent see II Kings 18:4. Recall also Jesus'
words to Nicodemus based on this incident of lifting up the serpent
(John 3:14-15).
This incident had a definite bearing on the situation at Corinth.
In their eagerness to exalt men to the place of leadership in the
church, they had forgotten that the church was the temple of God and
that their bodies were temples of the Holy Spirit which were not to
be used for immoral purposes. See chapter six.
Neither murmur ye.- — The word "murmur" suggests the gutteral
sound one makes when he grumbles about things that cause dis-
pleasure. It describes the complaint of the fathers against the leader-
ship of Moses and Aaron. Actually their complaint was against the
Lord for He had appointed these men to serve the people. The
grumblers perished when the earth opened up and destroyed them. See
Num. 16:3, 31-35.
But Paul had in mind the camplainers at Corinth. Some of them
had contended that he was not an apostle. The whole issue of apos-
tolic preaching became the subject of criticism of envious men who
185
10:10-13 I CORINTHIANS
wanted to have authority over the church. See chapter nine for his
defense of his apostleship- and his rights as an apostle and as a
Christian.
for our admonition. — Will the admonition go unheeded in the church
today? The modern church faces virtually every problem that the
church at Corinth faced. There is a serious question whether or
not it will accept the admonition of the Lord through His apostle.
If it fails, destruction is as inevitable now as it was then.
upon whom the ends of the ages are come. — The context seems to
indicate that this is a reference to the climax of the history of the
fathers with its lessons for those in the Christian age. We can reap
the benefit of the examples of their failures as well as their successes.
him that thinketh he standeth.—'Wete there some in Corinth who be-
lieved that they could not sin? The most dangerous position one
can possibly occupy is the place of the self-satisfied one who as-
sumes that he cannot be overcome by Satan in this life. The whole
history of the fathers points out the folly of this assumption. Peter
also boasted that he of all the apostles would never forsake Jesus.
He said that he was willing to go to prison and to death with Him.
Apparently, he was sincere about it; but he failed to reckon with the
situation in which was soon to find himself that led him to deny that
he had ever known such a person as Jesus.
no temptation but such as man can bear. — To those who would com-
plain that the experiences of the fathers were different and couldn't
possibly have a bearing on the trials through which they were
going, the apostle had this reminder: the trials of the Christian were
only human trials, that is, exactly as they were in the days of the
fathers. God does not permit them to suffer trials that would be for
angels or others above the human level. See the story of Job for
the limit God placed on the activity of Satan as he tested the faith
of God's servant.
John points out that there are just three things that make up
all that is in the world of evil: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the
eyes, and the reckless disregard for God in this life. All three of them
were present in the temptation of man in Eden. We can easily identify
them in the Wilderness temptation of Our Lord. Adam fell in the
Garden, but Jesus endured all of Satan's efforts to cause Him to sin,
yet without sin. Moreover, He showed that it was not necessary for
any man to be overcome by the factors of Satanic temptation, for He
used the Word of God to defeat the tempter. That same Word is
186
CHAPTER TEN 10:13,14
available to man for the same purpose. Let no one say that He de-
feated Satan as the Son of God. He was the Son of God, but He was
also man. James says that God cannot be tempted (Jas. 1:13). Jesus'
temptations were all on the human level just as ours are. We have
the whole armor of God with which to withstand the devil. The
shield of faith is sufficient to quench all the fiery darts of the evil
one. See Eph. 6:16. It certainly behooves the Christian to know
God's Word and to trust Him, and to be on guard against the at-
tacks of Satan at all times.
Text
10:14-22. Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak
as to wise men; judge ye what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which
we bless, is it not a communion of the blood of Christ? The bread
which we break, is it not a communion of the body of Christ? 17
seeing that we, who are many, are one bread, one body: for we all
partake of the one bread. 18 Behold Israel after the flesh: have not
they that eat the sacrifices communion with the altar? 19 What say
I then? that a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol
is anything? 20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacri-
fice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God: and I would not that ye
should have communion with demons. 21 Ye cannot dring the cup of
the Lord, and the cup of demons: ye cannot partake of the table of the
Lord, and of the table of demons. 22 Or do we provoke the Lord to
jealousy? are we stronger than he?
Flee From Idolatry (14-22)
Commentary
All that the apostle has said on the subject of idolatry in answer
to the question of the Corinthians is now brought to focus on his con-
cluding exhortation.
In itself, he has indicated, there is nothing to an idol. There-
fore, meats used in idol worship are not affected as items of food.
But the Christian has an obligation to his brother in Christ who may
not possess this knowledge. Love builds up; Paul pleads the cause
of love as he urges his beloved fellow-members of the body of Christ
to flee from idolatry.
Flee from idolatry. — Idolatry is like a plague; it is a fearful evil;
in it lurks a hidden danger. If the fathers were overcome by the
sins that accompanied idolatry, how could the church hope to escape
a like fate except by fleeing from this evil?
I speak as to wise men. — That is, to men who were able to think.
This is not the same word translated "wise" in 1:26 where Paul says
that there were not many among them who were wise according to
187
10:15,16 I CORINTHIANS
human standards. Greeks were worshippers of wisdom, but theirs was
a wisdom of the immature as opposed to the mature wisdom which
Paul preached in the message of the cross.
But these brethren were capable of using the minds God had, given
them. Paul appeals to them to do so in this matter of idolatry. He
gives them concrete cases dealing with the subject that will help;
them as thinking men to make the right decision. . ;
The cup of blessing which u>e bless. — Since he has discussed idolatry
and its feasts, it is appropriate that he call their attention to the
church and its worship of Christ in the Lord's Supper.
When the supper was instituted, Jesus took the cup and said,,
"This is the new covenant in my blood, even that which is poured *
out for you" (Lk 22:20). In so doing He set it aside for a holy,
purpose, that is, blessed it by pointing out it's meaning. Matthew <
says that "He took bread, and blessed, and brake it; and He gave to'
the disciples, and said, Take eat; this is my body" (Matt 26:26).'
The act of blessing was in the consecration of the cup to serve as ;
the reminder of the blessing which Christ brought to His followers
through His death.
The cup was not only blessed, it also contained the symbol of '
the blessing of remission of sins which Christ piovided for us through ,
His blood.
Christ also gave thanks for the bread and the cup (Lk 22:17; 11,
Cor. 11:24). So we also give thanks for the cup, and, in doing so,
we should remember that it was set aside for the holy purpose of
reminding us of the blessing of remission of sins through the blood of
Christ. Thus, we both give thanks and bless (consecrate) the cup,,
in the Lord's supper.
is it not a communion of the blood of Christ? — This is said to show ;
the thinking men among them that they cannot be idolaters aftd\
at the same time partake of the Lord's table. "Communion" means >
fellowship, or participation in a thing. Its root is a close synonym^
of the word "partake" which is found in verses 17 and 21. To say ;
that the cup is a communion in the blood of Christ is to say
that it is a means by which the Christian has a share in the blessing
that comes from the pouring out of the blood of Christ, that is, remis-
sion of sins.
is it not a communion of the body of Christ? — What is true about ,
the share we have in the cup is equally true of the bread. The ,
bread is a symbol of the body of Christ. In His discourse on the Bread
188
CHAPTER TEN 10:16-20
of Life, Jesus explained His relation to His followers as the
source life. As the fathers ate the manna — the only food available
to them at the time — so the believers are to eat the living bread
that came down out of heaven, that is, belive on Him to have life.
He said, "the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of
the world" (John 6:51). The bread of the Lord's supper is a symbol
of our participation or sharing in the blessing of eternal life. See
John 6:40, 51, 53.
one bread, one body. — Not only do we as Christians participate in the
life that is given through Christ, but we also have a relation to each
other which is suggested by the one body of which we are members.
There is only one bread which represents the one body which is the
church. There are many members, but only one body. This is an im-
portant lesson on the unity of the members of the church and particu-
larly so for the Corinthians in view of their divisions. In this context,
the lesson is clearly one that shows the impossibility of being mem-
bers of the body of Christ and at the same time being members of the
demon that was worshiped in idolatry. All of us share in the bless-
ings that come from the one loaf, the symbol of the unity of the body
of Christ.
"One bread" means one kind of bread, not just one piece of bread.
The bread Jesus used in the institution of the Lord's supper was the
unleavened bread of the passover feast. It is altogether fitting that
we should use only unleavened bread in the Lord's supper. The very
principle of excluding leaven from the feast of passover suggests the
necessity of the church excluding sin from its life. See I Cor. 5:6-7.
To force this phrase to mean one piece of bread is to go beyond the
requirements of the symbolism. There are congregations that are too
large to be served by one piece of bread. But the one kind, unleavened
bread, serves to remind them that they are one in Christ.
Behold Israel after the flesh. — The church as the spiritual Israel of
God is to take a lesson from the history of the fathers. They who had
a share in the sacrifice offered on the altar were in fellowship (part-
nersip) with God. The worshiper shares in the sacrifice and becomes
a partner of the deity who is thus worshiped. That is true whether
they worshiped God or some demon represented by an idol.
to demons, not God. — The apostle has carefully laid the ground for
die main thrust of his argument against Christians participating in
idolatrous feasts. He did not say that the meat used in such feasts was
thereby made unfit for food, nor did he say that an idol was anything
in itself. But there is more to idolatry than appears in the external
189
10:20-22 I CORINTHIANS
ceremony of worshiping it: Gentiles sacrifice to demons and not to
God.
communion with demons, — Christians should have fellowship or part-
nership with Christ, not demons. The enemies of Jesus attempted to
discredit Him before the multitudes by saying that He was in league
with Beelzebub, the prince of demons or Satan. See Matt. 12:24-30.
Jesus easily refuted their charge by (1) showing that a kingdom di-
vided against itself cannot stand, and (2) indicating that the pre-
tended work of the Jewish exorcists was clearly counterfeit, and (3)
presenting the illustration of the strong man's house. But no doubt
there were some who did believe the false charge in spite of His
defense.
Paul had the same difficulty at Philippi (Acts 16:11-18). He had
to reject the testimony of the soothsaying girl who followed him say-
ing, "These men are servants of the Most High God." This, of course,
was true, but the apostle could not afford to have it said that he was
an associate of demons.
This was the problem faced by the church at Corinth. If Satan
Could make some believe that the Christians were actually worshiping
demons, then he would be able to discredit the church in the eyes of
the pagans. Therefore, Paul said, "I would not that ye should have
communion with demons."
Ye cannot. — There are some things that are impossible. To attempt
to do two things that are absolutely opposite to each other such as
drinking the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons simply results
in demon worship. The worship of Christ is nullified. Jesus said, "Ye
cannot serve God and mammon" (Matt. 6:24). God will not tolerate
the worshiper who owns allegiance to demons.
Or do we provoke the Lord? — The reference is to the history of Israel
as suggested in Deut. 32:21. Israel was continually going astray by
worshiping idols. Like a husband who is made jealous because of an
unfaithful wife, God is said to be jealous because Israel worshiped
what was a "no-god." This was an insult to God. Were the Corinthi-
ans trying to make Christ jealous by paying homage to demons — evil
spirits under the control of Satan?
are we stronger than he? — The quotation in Deuteronomy suggests
that the Lord would provoke Israel that worshiped the "no-god" by
giving consideration to those who were no people — that is, to those
who had no standing in their eyes, the Gentiles. Did the Corinthians
suppose that they could safely provoke the Lord by worshiping de-
190
CHAPTER TEN 10:22-25
mons? Did they assume that they were strong enough to keep Him
from rejecting them and turning to others who would be faithful to
Him?
Text
10:23-33. All things are lawful; but not all things are expedient.
All things are lawful; but not all things edify. 24 Let no man seek
his own, but each his neighbor's good. 25 Whatsoever is sold in
the shambles, eat, asking no question for conscience' sake; 26 for the
earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. 27 If one of them that
believe not biddeth you to a feast, and ye are disposed to go; whatso-
ever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience' sake.
28 But if any man say unto you, This hath been offered in sacrifice,
eat not, for his sake that showed it, and for conscience' sake: 29
conscience, I say, not thine own, but the other's; for why is my liberty
judged by another conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why
am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? 31 Whether
therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of
God. 32 Give no occasion of stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks,
or to the church of God: 33 even as I also please all men in all
things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of the many, that
they may be saved.
Limitations of Christian Liberty (23-33)
Commentary
All things are lawful. — This principle was used in 6:12 with refer-
ence to the use of the body. It seems to mean that there is a lawful
purpose for everything God created, but it certainly does not imply
that anything evil is lawful. Perversion of God's intended purpose re-
sults in evil. The principle is applied to meats that had been used in
idolatrous worship. Such use did not harm them as food, but it might
not be expedient to use them. Why? They might cause offense to the
weak brother who did not understand this. In which case, it would
be better to forgo the right (liberty) to eat. Selfishness leads one to
insist on his- right, but Christian consideration for others may often
t cause one to give up his right.
Let no one seek his own. — This principle can apply to many other
things than meats. The lowliness of mind that causes each to look to
the things of others rather than of self would solve much of the diffi-
culty that occurs between brethren in the church, and perhaps in all
the world as well. See Phil. 2:1-5.
asking no questions. — That is, do not conduct an investigation to dis-
cover the source of the food that may be set before you. Even if it
191
10:25-31 I CORINTHIANS
had been used in pagan worship, it was still good for food. One need
riot let it bother his conscience for the earth is the Lord's and all that
fills it.
if one of them that believe not. — It was wrong for a Christian to be
found eating in a temple, of an idol, for his example might cause
some one who did not understand to be led into idolatry. But the
apostle is now considering another situation. In the event of a
Christian being invited to the home of one who is not a Chris-
tian it is all right to go if one is so disposed. He need not trouble his
conscience over the food since he knows that even if it had been used
in idol worship it was good for food.
But if any man say unto you. — This was the thing to be concerned
about. If one should say that the food had been used in the sacrifice
to an idol, the Christian was to refrain from eating it.
for conscience' sake. — That is, for the sake of the conscience of the
one who revealed the source of the food. Do not allow your liberty
to be condemned by the scruples of another. But how can this be pre-
vented? By forgoing the right. to eat the meat when the weak brother
reveals that it has been used in an idol's feast.
// / partake with thankfulness. — The Old Testament gave certain reg-
ulations as to clean and unclean animals, but Paul, in his letter to
Timothy, says, "nothing is to be rejected, if it be received with thanks-
giving: for it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer" (I
Tim. 4:4-5). But the problem at Corinth was somewhat different.
Would the fact that one thanked God for his food be sufficient to
satisfy the conscience of the brother who believed that he was wor-
shiping an idol if he ate food that had been sacrificed to the idol?
Paul's question is: "If I partake with thankfulness, why am I de-
nounced?" Actually there was no reason why he should let this
happen for he could forgo his right to eat the food and avoid the criti-
cism. This is in accord with the principle of limitation of liberty
which he has used as the solution of the problem throughout his dis-
cussion. No mere saying of thanks over food could change the mind
of a weak brother who believed that eating the sacrifice would consti-
tute worship of the demon. His sense of right and wrong is offended;
for that reason one should refrain from eating even though he had
given thanks for the food.
do all to the glory of God. — This is another principle regulating the
conduct of the Christian. This like the principle of limiting liberty
requires one to forgo certain rights for the sake of others. Do not offend
Jews, or Greeks, or the church of God:
192
s
CHAPTER TEN 10:33
as 1 please all men. — See comment on 9:20-22. The apostle had set
the example which he calls upon the Corinthians to follow. The goal
he had in mind for himself and for them was the winning of some
to Christ that they might be saved.
Summary
The closing remark of chapter nine, "lest I myself be rejected," is
explained in chapter ten. The abuse of rights can result in one being
rejected. Take the case of Israel: they escaped from Egypt, but most
of them did not reach the promised land for they perished in the wil-
derness. Among the many sins that caused them to fall was the sin
of idolatry, the very thing about which Paul warned the Corinthians.
Concern over being rejected is no idle thing. Israel fell, and the one
who thinks he stands must take care lest he also fall.
The experience of the fathers had many lessons for the brethren
at Corinth. Their escape from Egypt through the cloud and through
the sea was like baptism. The fathers were sustained by food and
water that was miraculously given to them. Paul speaks of their spir-
itual food and drink, for they continued to drink from the spiritual
rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
But God was not pleased with most of them, for they were over-
thrown in the wilderness. Just so, Paul warns the Corinthians not to
lust for the things of evil. He warned against the sin of idolatry, and
cited the example of Israel's worship of the golden calf at Sinai. Sin
caused twenty-three thousand of them to fall in one day. Fiery ser-
pents caused the complainers to perish. These things were written to
admonish the Christians not to enter into such sinful practices. In
view of this evidence, no one was to imagine that he could not
But it is not necessary to be overcome in temptation, for God will not
permit a trial to befall one which man cannot endure. God is faithful
and will along with the temptation provide the way out that it may
be endured.
Summing up the whole argument about idolatry which began in
chapter eight, Paul says, "Flee from idolatry." Then he turns to the
Lord's supper to enforce his appeal. It is impossible to eat at the table
of the Lord and at the table of demons also. Idolatry in reality is de-
mon worship. The cup which we bless as we speak of its significance
is a sharing of the blood of Christ. The bread which we break
is a sharing of the body of Christ. Because there is one bread, we are
one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Israel became partakers
of the altar when they ate the sacrifice that was offered on it. This
193
I CORINTHIANS
does not say that there is anything to idolatry, but it is mentioned to
call attention to the fact that idolatry is actually demon worship. Paul
did not want them to be partakers of the demons who were worshiped
in idolatry. The Lord would not permit one who is an associate of de-
demons to be a partner with Him by eating at His table.
The closing word in answer to the question about meats sacrificed
to idols brings up the law of expediency. There is a limit to the thing
that is lawful, for not all things build up the body of Christ. There-
fore, let no one seek his own welfare, but that of others.
As to the meats sold in the markets, eat them without inquiring
into the source of supply for conscience' sake. The Lord created the
earth and all that fills it. So, if some unbeliever invites you into his
home, and you wish to go, eat the food set before you without asking
about its source. But if one should say tt> you that it had been used in
idol worship, don't eat it. You are to refrain for the sake of the con-
science of him who called it to your attention. Why is liberty limited
by the conscience of another? To keep him from stumbling, for Paul
said, "If meat causes my brother to stumble, I will eat no more meat"
(8:13). The Christian is to do all things for the glory of the Lord.
Cause no one to stumble, neither Jew, nor Greek, nor the church of
God. Be imitators of Paul as he imitated Christ and gave up his rights
to win some to Christ that they might be saved.
Questions
1. What is the connection between the thought of chapter ten and
the closing thought of chapter nine?
2. Why did Paul use the word "brethren" in this chapter?
3. What was Paul's purpose in using the word "ignorant"?
4. How can we express the thought and spirit of the apostle on this
matter?
5. How could Paul effectively use the examples of the Old Testa-
ment in discussing the problems of Gentile Christians?
6. How could he speak of the ancient Israelites as "our fathers"
when writing to the Gentiles? * '
7. What are some of the things God provided for the fathers as they
left Egypt?
8. How does their failure to enter the promised land illustrate the
necessity of exercising self-control?
9. What is the history of the cloud that appeared to Israel during
their journey from Egypt to the promised land?
194
CHAPTER TEN
10. What was the situation of the Israelites as they came to the Red
Sea?
11. How did God protect them?
12. What blessings are represented by the cloud?
13. What has been said in an attempt to discredit Moses' account of
the crossing of the Red Sea?
14. What did Moses say about it?
15. What evidence is there to support his account?
16. What relation does the crossing of the Red Sea have to baptism?
17. What is meant by saying that they were baptized unto Moses?
18. What is the history of the manna?
19. What is the history of God's providing water for Israel on their
journey through the wilderness?
20. What was the attitude of the fathers toward the mana?
21. How did the people in Jesus' time regard it?
22. Why does Paul say that they ate spiritual food and drank spiritual
drink?
23. What is meant by the statement that a spiritual rock followed
them?
24. What is meant by the statement that the rock was Christ?
25. How does God provide spiritual food for His people?
26. How did the Holy Spirit provide the life-giving stream of truth
for sinful men on the Day of Pentecost?
27. Why did Paul say that God was not well pleased with the fathers?
28. What is the history of the refusal of the fathers to enter the
promised land?
29- In what way were the failures of the fathers examples for us?
30. What is the meaning of "lust"?
31. What is the history of the idolatry which the fathers practiced at
Sinai?
32. What is meant by the statement "rose up to play"
33. How did the fathers make trial of the Lord ?
34. What use did Jesus make of the incident of the fiery serpents?
35. What bearing did this have on the situation in the church at
Corinth?
. 36. What are some of the occasions of murmuring of the children of
Israel?
37. How did die complaints of the fathers explain the problem which
was present at Corinth?
38. Why were the failures of the fathers written in the Old
Testament?
195
I CORINTHIANS
39. What position in history does the church occupy?
40. What may be the most dangerous position for a Christian to
occupy?
41. What evidence have we that God expects His people to be vic-
torious over temptation?
42. What provision did He make for their victory?
43. Why did Paul say, "Flee from idolatry"?
44. What is the difference between the references to wise men in
10:15 and 1:26?
45 . What did Paul want the Corinthians as wise men to do?
46. Why is the cup called "the cup of blessing"?
47. What does "communion" mean?
48. What is the significance of the one bread?
49. How did the experience of Israel as they brought the sacrifices to
God reveal to the Corinthians the evil of idolatry?
50. What was the reality back of the idol which the pagans
worshiped? . , r
51. Why did the enemies of Jesus attempt to show that He cast out
demons by Beelzebub?
52. What are some of the impossible things for the Christian?
53. What did Paul mean by the question, "Do we provoke the
Lord?"
54. What did he mean by the question, "Are we stronger than he?"
196
CHAPTER TEN
55. How does the law of expediency apply to the matter of meats
sacrificed to idols?
56. What other rule did Paul give for this situation?
57. What did he mean by "ask no questions"?
5 8. Was it ever right for the Christian to be found in a pagan temple
partaking of the idolatrous feast?
59. Under what circumstances did Paul say a Christian might eat
meat that had been sacrificed to an idol without investigating its
source?
60. What should he do in the event some one called attention to the
fact that the food had been used as a sacrifice to idols?
61. Whose conscience is to be considered in exercising one's liberty?
62. What is the place of thinksgiving in relation to eating food?
63. What is the meaning of Paul's question, "If I partake with thank-
fulness, why am I denounced?"
64. How could such a criticism be avoided?
65. What should be the purpose of the Christian in all his activity?
For Discussion
1. What bearing does the faithfulness of the Christian in partaking
of the Lord's supper have on a victorious life?
2. What are some things that your group could do to increase its
effectiveness in winning some to Christ?
197
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Analysis
A. The apostle gives instructions to be observed by man or woman
when praying or prophesying (1-16) .
1. He requests them to imitate him (1). Note: This, in all prob-
ability, belongs to the thought of chapter ten. The apostle sets
the example of "limitation of Christian liberty" and urges the
Corinthians to follow it as, he is following the example of
Christ.
2. He approaches this new problem with words of praise for re-
membering him and the oral messages he had delivered to
them (2).
3. He gives additional instruction about covering the head when
praying or prophesying ( 3-10 ) .
a) He wants them to know the principle that is involved (3).
( 1 ) The head of every man is Christ;-
(2) The head of woman is man;
( 3 ) The head of Christ is God,
b) He points out the result of failing to observe this principle
(4-6).
(1) Every man who prays or prophesies with his head
covered dishonors his head.
(2) Every woman who prays or prophesies with her head
uncovered dishonors her head.
(a) It would be the same thing as if she were shaven,
for if a woman is not veiled, he says, "Let her be
shorn."
(b) But since it a shameful thing for a woman to be
shorn or shaven, he says, "Let her be veiled."
c) He then shows why a man ought not to have his head
veiled (7).
( 1 ) He is the image and glory of God.
( 2 ) Woman, on the other hand, is the glory of man.
d) He appeals to the origin of man and woman and God's
purpose in creating them to support his position (8-9).
( 1 ) Their origin:
( a ) Man is not of woman.
( b ) Woman is of man.
198
CHAPTER ELEVEN
( 2 ) God's purpose in creating them :
( a ) Man was not created for woman.
(b) Woman was created for man.
e) He presents his conclusion based on this reasoning (10).
( 1 ) Woman should have on her head the veil which is a
symbol of her right and dignity as woman.
( 2 ) This is to be observed because of the angels.
4. He indicates other factors that have to do with the relationship
of man and woman in order to avoid misunderstanding of what
he had just said (11-16).
a) He reminds them that neither man nor woman is indepen-
dent of the other (11).
b ) He recalls the facts of creation and birth ( 12 ) .
( 1 ) The woman was created for the man.
( 2 ) The man is born of the woman.
(3) All things are of God — a thing to remember as to
the distinction between man and woman.
c) He appeals to their own judgment in the matter: Is it
proper for a woman to pray unto God with her head un-
covered (13)?
d ) He appeals to nature to support his position ( 14-15 ) .
(1) If a man has long hair (which makes him appear to
be a woman ) it dishonors him, does it not?
(2) On the other hand, if a woman has long hair (which
points out her womanly dignity) it is a glory to her,
for her hair was given her for a covering.
e) He indicates to those who might still want to argue the
point that what he has said is the custom that is observed
by the churches of God (16).
B. He turns his attention to the problems which they faced in con-
nection with observing the Lord's supper ( 17-34).
1. He refused to commend them because of these conditions
which made it impossible for them to eat the Lord's supper
(17-22).
a) Their coming together was not for the better but for the
worse (17).
b) He points out that divisions existed among them ( 18-19) -
( 1 ) He had heard that divisions existed among them when
they assembled and had reason to believe that such
was true with part of them (18).
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I CORINTHIANS
(2) He pointed out that divisions were accompanied with
factions that resulted in the approved among them be-
ing manifested ( 19 ) •
c) He indicated the tragic result of this situation: It was not
possible for them to eat the Lord's supper, for each one of
them ate his own which, resulted in some going hungry
while others were drunken (20-2 1 ) . '
d) He severely rebuked them for this by asking a series of
questions (22).
( 1 ) You have houses to eat and drink in, do you not?
( 2 ) Do you despise the church of God and put to shame
those who have nothing?
(3) As if puzzled about what to do, he asks, "What shall
I say to you?"
(4) Shall I praise you? His answer: In this I praise you
not.
2. He explained the purpose of the Lord's supper as he had re-
ceived it from the Lord and delivered it to them. (23-26).
a) He points out the source of his information which he had
passed on to them.
b) He points out what the Lord did and said about the loaf
and the cup. '
( 1 ) Time: It was on the night of His betrayal.
(2) The bread: He took bread, gave thanks for it, and
broke it and said, "This is my body which is for you:
this do in remembrance of me."
(3) The cup:
(a) This was after the supper.
(b) He said, "This cup is the new covenant in my
blood."
(c) He said, "This do, as often as ye drink it, in re-
membrance of me."
c) The apostle adds this inspired information: As often as ye
eat this bread and drink this cup, ye proclaim the Lord's
death till He come.
3. He points out the penalty for failing to decide correctly the is-
sues involved in the Lord's supper (27-34a)
a) As to eating the bread and drinking the cup.
(1) Doing it in unworthy manner results in being guilty
of mishandling the body and blood of Christ.
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CHAPTER ELEVEN
( 2 ) Let a man examine himself and so let him eat.
b ) As to correctly judging the body.
( 1 ) Failure to do so results in eating judgment to oneself.
( 2 ) Failure to do so resulted in many of them being weak,
sickly, and not a few were dead.
c) How to avoid such judgment:
( 1 ) By correctly judging themselves.
( 2 ) By remembering that the chastening of the Lord keeps
His people from being condemned with the world.
( 3 ) Wait one for another and let the hungry eat at home.
4. He reminds them that he will attend to the rest of the
problems when he comes. (34b) .
When praying or Prophesying (1-16)
Text
11:1-16 Be ye imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ. 2 Now
I praise you that ye remember me in all things, and hold fast the tra-
ditions, even as I delivered them to you. 3 But I would have you
know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the
woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man pray-
ing or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoreth his head.
5 But every woman praying or prophesying with her head unveiled
dishonoreth her head; for it is one and the same thing as if she were
shaven. 6 For if a woman is not veiled, let her also be shorn; but if
it is a shame to a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be veiled.
7 For a man indeed ought not to have his head veiled, forasmuch as
he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of
the man. For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the
man: 9 for neither was the man created for the woman; but the
woman for the man: 10 for this cause ought the woman to have a
sign of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 Never-
theless, neither is the woman without the man, nor the man with-
out the woman, in the Lord. 12 For as the woman is of the
man, so is the man also by the woman; but all things are of God.
13 Judge ye in yourselves: is it seemly that a woman pray unto God
unveiled? 14 Doth not even namre itself teach you, that, if a man
have long hair, it is a dishonor to him? But if a woman have long
hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. 16
But if any man seemeth to be contentious, we have no such custom,
neither the churches of God.
201
11:1,2 I CORINTHIANS
Commentary
Be ye imitators of me.— This verse is, in all probability, the apostle's
concluding statement about limiting Christian liberty. He had said n
the beginning of the discussion of the subject that if meat caused his
brother to stumble he would eat "no flesh for evermore," Now he
urges his readers to follow his example and refrain from anything
that would cause offense to anyone whether Jew or Greek or the
church of God, for he was following the example of Christ. The ob-
ject of such conduct was to save some. See Phil. 2:5-11 for his ex-
planation of what Christ did in order to save sinners.
Now I praise you. — In this letter, the purpose qf which was to rebuke
those practicing sin and offer corrective measures to overcome such
practices, the apostle is careful to praise his readers whenever pos-
sible. He had addressed them as the church of God and reminded
them that they were his brethren and that he was their spiritual
father. But when he did rebuke them, it was for the purpose of res-
cuing them from their sinful practices in the hope that they would
follow Christ and be saved through obedience to Him. He seems at
this point to be glad to say, "Ipraise you."
ye remember me in all things. — That the Corinthians did remember
Paul and think of his instructions when questions arose among them
is indicated by the fact that they wrote to him for further information
about such matters as marriage, meats and other things that had to do
with their, worship of the Lord.
He commended them for holding to the instruction which he had
given them even though they may have failed to remember all that
he had said. There seemed to be a disposition on their part to abide
by his teaching. Otherwise, why would they have written to him? Of
course, he wouldn't commend them on all things, for in matters such
as the Lord's supper they were riot acting in accord with Christian
principles. In this, he didn't hesitate to say, "I commend you not."
It is evident that his praise was not mere flattery, for it was freely
given when merited. It seems that in doing so he was helping them to
see that it was with equal sincerity and concern for their welfare that
he rebuked them when had to do so.
the traditions. — Traditions, as they are mentioned in the New Testa-
ment, are in two classes. First, there are the traditions of the Jews
which, Jesus said, were causing them to transgress the commandment
of God (Matt. 15:3). These were customs that had grown up with-
out divine sanction and transmitted from generation to generation.
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CHAPTER E LEVEN 11:2,3
They became an evil thing since people soon put these traditions
above the word of God. Second, the word as used by Paul simply
means the oral instructions he had delivered to them as an inspired
apostle. They were, of course, on a par with the written instructions
he had given to them. It is this orally transmitted message that they
were observing that called forth his expression of praise.
But I would have you to know, — When it came to the problem of a
man or a woman praying or prophesying, he wanted them to know
the principle that governed this matter. This was the principle of
headship. As it applied to their situation it was given in a three-fold
relationship : "The head of every man is Christ; and the head of the
woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." Failure to grasp
the significance of this principle led some of them, it would seem, to
faulty conclusions.
the heed of every man is Christ. — The word "head" is used both lit-
erally and figuratively in this context. Literally, it means the head of
the human body. But what does it mean figuratively? There is no
question that in some instances it means supremacy and authority. But
is that what it means here? While I do not find any other clear cut ex-
ample except this one in the New Testament, it is possible that in this
context it refers to source or origin. There is abundant evidence to sup-
port this meaning when used with reference to things. For example,
the head of a river is its source or point of origin. The origin of man
and woman is the basis of Paul's argument in this context. See verses
7-9- Verse twelve also clearly refers to the Genesis account of the
origin of man and woman. And, Paul adds, "all things are from God."
The lesson of the paragraph is clear enough: man is to dress in a
manner that marks him, according to the culture of Paul's day, as
a man. To do otherwise is to disregard the fact that God created him a
man. Woman also is to maintain her position as a woman and not at-
tempt to become a man by forsaking the customary dress that marked
her as a woman according to the culture of that day.
There is nothing in the context, as I see it, that suggests that man is
superior to woman or has authority over her. Headship as it relates to
man and woman is explained by the fact that man is the image and
glory of God, but woman is man's glory. Origin or source makes good
sense in this context.
The head of every man is Christ. Some would limit this to the man
who is a Christian, but the facts are that Christ is the creator of all.
God said, "Let us make man in our image" (Gen. 2:26). John says
203
11:3-5 I CORINTHIANS
of the Word that "all things were made through him" (John 1:1-2).
Paul, speaking of Christ, says that "in him were all things created"
(Col. 1:15-16).
the head of woman is the man.—-This is a reference to the creation of
man and woman, not to husband and wife. The latter relationship is
discussed by Paul in Eph. 5:23. The husband is the head of the wife
as Christ is the head of the church. The church is the body of Christ,
and without it He would be incomplete (Eph. 1:22). There can't be
such a relationship as wife without husband. Subjection implies the
necessity of faithfulness to her own husband, that is, a proper rela-
tionship between husband and wife just as the members of the church
are to be in subjection one to another (Eph. 5:21).
Christ's authority over His church is clearly indicated in many pas-
sages. See Matt. 28:18-20 for His own statement as to His authority.
But there is a serious question about implying it in the figure of
headship.
The problem that Paul is discussing in this context is that of dis-
tinctive dress that marks man and woman while praying or prophesy-
ing. It is true that the word translated "man" may also be rendered
"husband." But in this context there is no reason to do so. The fact
that Paul uses the definite article with "man" in the statement, "the
head of woman is the man" does not make it signify "husband." It is
logical to suppose that whatever "head" means in one of these three
statements, it means in the others: Of every man, the head is Christ;
and head of woman is the man; and head of Christ, God. The origin
of man is Christ; of woman is the man; of Christ is God. Man was
created by Christ; woman created from man; Christ sent from God.
Every man praying or prophesying. — Praying is speaking to God;
prophesying is speaking for God. In the early church, much of the
prophesying (preaching) was done of necessity under the immediate
influence of the Holy Spirit. See discussion on this point in chapter
twelve. The issue is just this: Man speaking to God or speaking for
God is to dress as a man, for he was created in the image of God and
is the glory of God. T> do otherwise is to dishonor his head. If he cov-
ers his head he appears to be a woman— according to the culture of
that day.
every woman praying or prophesying. — Not wife, but woman. The ac-
tivity is the same as in the case of man: praying or preaching. This
does not overlook the fact that there are limitations placed on the ac-
tivity of women. Woman is "not to teach, nor have dominion over
204
CHAPTER ELEVEN 11:5
man, but to be in quietness" (I Tim, 2:12). This regulation stems
from the facts of creation of woman and the entrance of sin into the
world (I Tim. 2:13-14). It seems quite evident that the men did
the preaching in the general assembly where both men and women
were present. Most godly women agree that this is proper in our so-
ciety today. But it will be remembered that Philip had four virgin
daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:19). Priscilla, as well as her hus-
band Aquila, was instrumental in instructing Apollos in the way of
God (Acts 18:24-28). Women, it will be generally agreed, are su-
perior teachers of children. Note also Paul's statement about aged
women who are to be "reverent in demeanor, not slanderers nor en-
slaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good; that they may
train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,
to be sober-minded, chaste, workers at home, being in subjection to
their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed" (Ti-
tus 2:3-5). There is work for man and there is work for woman to
do in the church; and, when it comes to the matter of salvation in the
Lord, there is no distinction as to male and female, bond and free,
since all are one in Christ (Gal. 3:28).
her head- unveiled. — Man was not to have his head covered, but
woman was to have her head veiled while praying or prophesying.
Why? If a woman assumes the position of man by dressing like a man
and thus losing her womanly dignity, she disgraces her head by deny-
ing that God created man first and then woman to be his counterpart
(Gen. 2:18-24). It dishonors God for either man or woman to at-
tempt to remove this distinction. At no time is it more true than when
one is praying to> God or prophesying for God. To inject the thought
of authority of husband over wife into this context is to forget that
Paul is speaking about maintaining the relationship of man and
woman as seen in the order of their creation; but priority is not
superority.
if a woman is not veiled. — Cutting the hair and shaving were marks
by which to identify a man. If a woman left off the veil which was a
distinctive mark of a woman, she had just as well go farther and cut
her hair and be shaved. If it was disgraceful to cut the hair — assumed
as true, since this was the distinctive mark of man — let her keep the
recognized mark of womanly dignity, the veil.
Should this custom be observed today? Without doubt, the prin-
ciple of maintaining womanly and manly dignity is to be observed.
Since the use of the veil would not necessarily show respect for the
205
11:5-11 I CORINTHIANS
principle, it would seem that its use is not called for where custom
does not require it. It would be artificial to create the custom to sup-
port the principle. The principle can be supported by the distinctive
marks of our culture just as it was by the requirements of Paul's day.
the woman to have a sign vf authority on her head.— -What are we
to understand about this verse in the light of the foregoing discussion?
In the first place, let it be observed that the words "sign of" are in
italics which means that they are not in the Greek text. They are in-
serted by translators in order to make the text clear. They become, in
fact, matters of interpretation, not translation. This is often necessary
in bringing thought from one language into another.
For the meaning of the word "authority" see notes on 8:9 and 9:4.
Should it be translated "authority" in this context? There is no good
reason to do so since the apostle is speaking of the issue of honor
which man is to show toward his head and woman toward hers.
This amounts to respect for the fact that God created man and that
He created woman for man. This distinction is to be maintained when
a man or a woman is praying or prophesying. "Right" is a better
term to express this thought in this context; The veil was the distinc-
tive mark of the right and dignity of woman. There is no reference
in this context to husband and wife, nor a suggestion that a wife
should wear a sign of the authority of her husband on her head. The
wife, by divine injunction, is to be faithful to her own husband and
to respect her husband. By the same divine instruction, the husband
is to love and cherish his wife even as Christ loved the church ( Eph.
5:22-23). But in this context, Paul is speaking of the necessity of
woman maintaining her honor and dignity as a woman. She is not,
therefore, to give the impression that she is a man.
because of the angels. — Woman is to keep the place for which God
created her just as man is to keep his place. Angels who left their
proper place were punished. This is a warning to women who try to
be men or to men who try to pose as women. It is thought by some
that the reference is to angels who do service for the sake of those
who are to inherit salvation (Heb. 1:14). If this is so, the question
is: How could they assist in the worship of those who dishonor God
by disregarding the facts of creation?
neither is the woman without the man. — Lest what Paul has been
saying should cause difficulty between man and woman in the church,
the apostle reminds each that he is dependent on the other. It is true
that God made woman from man; but it is also true that in His di-
vine providence and wisdom He decreed that man should be born
206
CHAPTER ELEVEN 11:11-16
into this world through woman. No man who properly respects his
God and who honors his mother would be likely to mistreat the
woman who is to be the mother of his children. For some men, how-
ever, there is neither respect for God nor honor for his mother or the
mother of his children.
all things are of God, — Both man and woman are reminded that God
in His wisdom provided for the human race in every way. Neither
man nor woman should seek to change His plan, and that is espe-
cially true of those who pray to God or who speak for Him.
Judge ye in yourselves. — Paul puts the question up to the good judg-
ment of his readers. Most people who understand the divine arrange-
ment will gladly agree with it.
even nature itself. — Paul has appealed to the facts of creation and to
the good judgment of his readers. His last appeal is to nature. The
long hair which woman has by nature proves his point. God gave her
this covering as a sign of her womanly right and dignity. To cut it or
to try to make it appear that she is a man is to dishonor God and na-
ture. Most modern hair styles do not, it seems to me, violate the prin-
ciple involved in the apostle's directive. Some will disagree on his
point. Long hair on a man makes him appear effeminate and is con-
trary to the divine principle under consideration.
we have no such custom. — Apparently there were those in Corinth
who were contending that the natural distinction between man and
woman was removed by baptism into the church. It is true that there
is no such thing as male and female when it comes to the matter of
personal salvation, but this does not say that all such distinctions are
to be disregarded for the facts of creation and of nature are not thus
removed. The apostles had no such custom, neither did the churches
of God. Since he has based his argument on the fact that God in crea-
tion and nature made this distinction, it is fitting that he should re-
mind them that the church is the church of God.
Text
11:17-34. But in giving you this charge, I praise you not, that ye
come together not for the better but for the worse. 18 For first of all,
when ye come together in the church, I hear that divisions exist
among you; and I partly believe it. 19 For there must be also factions
among you, that they that are approved may be made manifest among
you. 20 When therefore ye assemble yourselves together, it is not pos-
sible to eat the Lord's supper: 21 for in your eating each one taketh
207
11:17 I CORINTHIANS
before other his own supper; and one is hungry, and another is
drunken. 22 What, have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or de-
spise ye the church of God^ and put them to shame that have not?
What, shall I say to you? shall I praise you? In this I praise you not.
23 For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you,
that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was betrayed took bread;
24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said. This is my
body, which is for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 In like
manner also' the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new cov-
enant in my blood: this do, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance
of me. 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink the cup, ye pro-
claim the Lord's death till he come. 27 Wherefore whosoever shall
eat the bread or drink the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner,
shall be guilty of the.body and the blood of the Lord. 28 But let a
man prove himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the
cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh, eateth and drinketh judgment
upon himself, if he discern not the body. 30 For this cause many
among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep. 31 But if we
discerned ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are
judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned
with the world. 33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together
to eat, wait one for another. 34 If any man is hungry, let him eat at
home; that your coming together be not unto judgment. And the
rest I will set in order whensoever I come.
Observing the Lord's Supper (17-34)
Commentary
I praise you not. — Paul had praised them for remembering him and
for holding fast the traditions he had delivered to them. But there
were some things connected with their worship for which he did not
praise them. Some may not have been observing his advice about the
use of the veil when praying or prophesying. In the matter of eat-
ing the Lord's supper, he could not praise them because of the con-
ditions that prevailed in their assembly for which they were entirely
responsible. He severely rebuked them because their coming together
was not for the better but for the worse.
when ye come togeher in the church. — We tend to identify the build-
ing where the church people meet with the church, but "church"
refers to the people who are called out from the general group to be
the people of God. It also strongly suggests "assembly" since the
208
CHAPTER ELEVEN 11:17-19
church is to come together for worship. They were not to neglect
the assembling of themselves together (Heb 10:25). The thing
that was happening in their assembly was the object of Paul's criti-
cism.
divisions exist among you. — Perhaps at no place did the sectarian
spirit of the Corinthians show up in all its sinful nature more
clearly than at the assembly when the Lord's supper was to be eaten.
Leaders got together wth their own supporters around their own food
while others were allowed to go hungry. Paul certainly could not
praise them for this.
Neither the splits nor the factions had reached the proportions
to which they later developed, but there were cliques in the local
congregations. The sin of division is just as real on the local level
as it is when it reaches the stage of separate organizations. Paul
indicates that he believed this condition was true with part of the
church at Corinth.
/ partly believe it, — This does not indicate doubt as to the situation,
but rather as to the extent to which it had gone. There were those
who were not mixed up in it.
there must be factions among you, — Some were choosing sides over
loyalty to a leader or over some other rallying point. Groups were
formed that excluded all others who did not support the particular
issue of the group. Such splits were accompanied by the "factions"
that caused them.
they that are approved, — The apostle is not saying that factions are
necessary in order that those who are approved of God may be man-
ifested. Surely God's people need no such sinful background for them
to be known. But cliques in the church do result in the manifestation
of the approved who refuse to join the clique.
when ye come together. — One of the things for which they came to-
gether was eating the Lord's supper. This was by no means the only
reason for the assembly nor does the Bible indicate that it was the
primary reason. It is true that Acts 20:7 states that they came to
break bread, but the expression "primary reason" does not occur
in the text. It would seem that Paul's preaching was equally important
since he was acting under the commission of Christ to preach the
word. Collections were made on a weekly basis — evidently when they
came together — to obviate the necessity of making the collection at
the time of the apostle's visit (I Cor. 16:1-2).
The practice of eating the common meal had defeated this other
important matter, eating the Lord's supper. Cliques that had plenty
209
11:20-26 1 CORINTHIANS
ate their own food while others who had nothing went hungry. How
could the Lord's supper which taught the lessons of remission of sins
and the unity of the body of Christ be eaten in such an atmosphere?
have ye not houses to eat and drink in? — Since the common meal was
the occasion for the cliques to form, it was to be discontinued. This
is not to say that churches where such conditions do not exist are
forbidden the privilege of coming together in the church build-
ings to eat. But if Corinth could get into trouble over this matter
it might be well for elders to watch the flock lest similar situations
develop in congregations today. Sitting at the table with brethren in
Christ can be a heavenly experience and it can also lead to things
that disgrace the church and her Lord.
In this I praise you wo;.— Paul was generous with his praise whenever
possible But he made sure that. they understood that he did not
praise them for practicing things that made it impossible to eat the
Lord's supper. <
I received of the Lofd.-^-'The sacredness of the Lord's supper is in-
dicated in < a number of, ways. The instruction for its observance
came from the Lord Himself. It was delivered to the church by His
inspired apostle. It was to be in memory of the Lord's death* It
speaks of His coming again. Since it was a memorial to the fact that
the blood of Christ was poured out for the remission of sins, the
sins of which the Corinthians were guilty could not be tolerated
where the Lord's supper was- to be eaten.
the new covenant in my blood.— -The old covenant was the ten com-
mandments. See.. Ex, 34:28; Deut, 4:13. Although it was unilaterally
promulgated it was, 'nevertheless, a covenant because, the; people
agreed to its terms and promised to keep them. See Ex. 24:3-4. But
the people broke the covenant; and the Lord declared that He would
make a new covenant that would be written, not on tables of stone,
but on the hearts of the people. See Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8:7-13. God
also dictated the terms of this covenant. But what about the pledge
of the people to keep it? This is done when one makes the good con*
fession which is an, acknowledgement that Jesus is our prophet,
priest, and king. Eating the Lord's supper should remind the wor-
shipper of his covenant with Christ.
till he come,— One thing that must always be remembered by the
Christian is the death of Christ through which he is delivered from the
guilt and power of sin. An equally important thing to remember is
that He is coming again for those who wait for Him unto salvation
(Heb. 9:27). At the time of His ascension, angels said to the apostles
that "this Jesus who was received up from you into heaven, shall so
210
CHAPTER ELEVEN 11:26-30
come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven" (Acts
1:11). See also I Thes. 4:13-18 and II Thes. 1:8-10. "Behold he
cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they that
pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him.
Even so, Amen." (Rev. 1:7) "He who testifies these things saith,
Yea: I come quickly. Amen: come, Lord Jesus" (Rev. 22:20).
Evidently the Corinthians had forgotten this great hope of the
Christian. But are we doing any better than they?
unworthy manner. — Perhaps no one is really worthy to take the Lord's
supper. People who refrain from eating the Lord's supper because
of a sense of guilt that makes them feel unworthy often use this
verse as the basis of their views. But Paul was speaking of the
unworthy manner in which the church at Corinth conducted itself
that made it impossible to eat the Lord's supper. The guilt that
accompanies the violation of God's will can be overcome by repen-
tance and confession of the sin to the Lord. See Acts 9:22-24; I John
1:6-2:2.
But God has never tolerated careless handling of sacred things.
To treat the Lord's supper as something less than a common meal, as
the Corinthians were doing, is to be guilty of mishandling the body
and blood of the Lord. The penalty for this was clear: "many among
you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep."
But let a man prove himself. — This suggests the process of testing
by which the assayer finds the pure gold in the ore. It should be done
in the light of the meaning of the loaf and the cup. One should
ask himself, "Is my life in harmony with the principles of unity of the
body of Christ, and the remission of sins which Christ has provided,
and of the fact that He is coming again?" This makes the Lord's
supper a serious experience for the true worshipper. To do other-
wise is to eat and drink judgment to oneself. It is to be involved
in the same condemnation that came upon these who crucified the
Lord,
discern the body. — In eating the Lord's supper, it is necessary to
decide correctly the issues involved. It is necessary to distinguish be-
tween the splits and factions and the true body of Christ. It is neces-
sary to distinguish between the loaf and the bread of a common meal.
discerned ourselves. — If the Corinthians had decided correctly the
issue of belonging to the Lord as opposed to becoming members of
the parties that followed men, they would not have been judged
guilty of mishandling the body and blood of the Lord.
weak, sickly. — It is possible to view this as spiritual sickness and
death. But it may be physical, for they were eating and drinking to
211
11:31-34 I CORINTHIANS ■
excess. Some of them had died from the effects of this kind of abuse.
chastened of the Lord.— God punishes His people as a good parent
punishes his child. See. Heb. 12:3-13. The object is to avoid con-
demnation with the world. Paul's advice was to eliminate the custom
of eating together since this was the thing that had gotten them
into trouble. They could eat at home; then, when they came together,
they could eat the Lord's Supper.
And the rest. — There were other problems that demanded his per-
sonal attention. These he would attend to when he visited them the
next time. But the great principles set forth in this letter corrected
the major ills of the Corinthian church and will, if applied, do so for
the church today. First Corinthians is the most up-to-date treatise on
church problems 1 available today. The Corinthians church could make
use of Paul's advice while waiting for his personal visit; the church
of today must use the same inspired advice while waiting for the
coming of the Lord. Dare we pray, "Come, Lord Jesus"?
■, , Summary .
The Corinthians had written to Paul about the perplexing problem
of the use of the veil while praying or prophesying in public. Pray- j
ing is speaking to God; prophesying is speaking for God. In the early ,'■
church it was done under the immediate direction and power of the
Holy Spirit. The ancients had various customs of worship, depending
on their backgrounds, some Jewish, some Roman, and some Grecian.
To settle the problem, Paul called attention to this basic principle:
the head of every man is Christ; the head of woman is man; and the
head of Christ is God. A woman dishonored her head by praying or
prophesying without a veil. It was the same thing as having the
head shaved or the hair cut. These were distinguishing marks of man,
not woman. It was a shame for a woman to attempt to be a man;
therefore, Paul said, "Let a woman wear the veil." She was to dress
in a manner that would enable her to be recognized as a woman.
Man, on the other hand, is not to have his head covered because he
is the image and glory of God. Woman was to wear the veil as a
symbol of her womanly right and dignity because of the angels. ....
Neither man nor woman is complete apart from the other. The
facts of creation and of birth prove the point. All things are from
God, that is, God determined the distinctions between man and
woman. They were not to be disregarded in the church. Nature
and good judgment suport the views pf the apostle. By nature,
212
CHAPTER ELEVEN
woman's hair grows long, but man's short. It was good sense for a
woman to dress as a woman and a man as a man. There is no time
when this is more appropriate than when praying or prophesying.
The apostle reminds anyone who would oppose this view that the
churches of God had no other custom.
Paul had commended them for keeping the oral instructions which
he had transmitted to them, but he could not commend them for their
conduct in connection with the Lord's supper. Division and faction
existed among them when they met in the assembly. Not all of them
were guilty, but the conduct of the guilty ones resulted in the ap-
proved of God being manifested by their refusal to be parties to such
conduct. The practice of eating a meal at the assembly was to be
discontinued because it resulted in the church being disgraced and
these who had nothing being humiliated.
Paul faithfully declared to them what the Lord had revealed to
him. The Lord said, "This is my body." How could men use the
assembly of God as a place to practice division and faction? The
Lord said, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood." He was faith-
ful to His part of the agreement providing remission of sins to the
believer. But how could they drink the cup and still practice the sin
of division? If they had remembered Him and not their own selfish
desires for prominence and power, they would not have split into
factions to the disgrace of the body of Christ. Christ died to save man
from sin. As often as we eat the bread and drink the cup we pro-
claim the Lord's death until He comes.
His coming suggests a time of reckoning. Paul warned the Corinth-
ians about the unworthy manner in which they were approaching the
Lord's supper. They were guilty of mishandling the body and blood
of the Lord. A man should test himself to see that his life is in
accord with the principles taught by the loaf and the cup. If it isn't,
he eats and drinks judgment to himself by failing to decide cor-
rectly concerning the body and blood of Christ. Some of the Corinth-
ians did fail and as a result were weak and sick and some of them
had died. But if we decide correctly the members of the body of
Christ as distinguishing from members of a party or faction, we
shall not be condemned. The Lord judges His people for the purpose
of chastening them that they may not be condemned with the world.
Other things were to be cared for when Paul arrived.
213
I CORINTHIANS
Questions
1. What is the subject of this chapter?
2. What did Paul have in mind when he asked the Corinthians to
imitate him?
3. Why could he do this?
4. What can be said of Paul's expression of praise for his readers?
5. What are some of the complimentary things that Paul said about
the church at Corinth?
6. What evidence is there that they remembered what he taught?
7. What is meant by "traditions"?
8. What two classes of traditions may be found in the New Testa-
ment?
9. What is the three-fold statement of the principle of headship
which Paul wanted them to understand?
10. How is the word "head" used in this context?
11. What are the possible meanings of the term? ..
12. What is the clearly indicated lesson of this paragraph?
13. Does the Bible say that man is superior to woman? ^
14. What lesson does Paul teach in Ephesians as to the relation oi
husband and wife?
15. What may be said about the view that he is discussing the same
relationship in this context?
16. What is the difference between praying and prophesying?
17. Under what influence did men and women prophesy in the early
church? -
18. What is the issue involved in the discussion in this chapter?
19. What limitation is placed on the activity of woman according to
Paul's teaching in I Tim. 2:12? f
20. What was the reason for this limitation? >
21. What evidence is given in the New Testament to show that
woman prophesied? «f
22. What did Paul say about the task of aged women? i
23. Where is all distinction such as male and female, bond and free
removed?
24. What was wrong about a woman praying with her head un-
covered?
214
CHAPTER ELEVEN
25. What lesson does the apostle draw ftom the fact that man was
created first and then woman?
26. Why did he say that a woman who left off the veil had just as
well cut her hair and be shaved?
27- Should this custom be observed today?
28. What are the various view of the expression, "for this cause
ought the woman to have a sign of authority on her head?"
29. What did this have to do with the angels?
30. Why did Paul call attention to the birth of man as well as to
the fact of his creation?
31. Why did he say, "All things are of God"?
32. What lesson did nature teach that had a bearing on the subject
of this chapter?
'33. Why did he say, "we have no such custom"?
34. Why did Paul withhold his praise in the matter of eating the
Lord's supper?
35. To what does the word "church" refer?
36. What was taking place in the assembly that Paul condemned?
37. What did Paul mean when he said, "I partly believe it"?
38. What may also be expected when divisions are present in the
church?
39- Who are the approved in the church?
40. What caused them to be manifested in the church at Corinth?
41. When was the church to come together?
42. What was to be done at that time?
43. What was the custom at Corinth that led to the neglect of the
.-, Lord's supper?
44. Is it wrong to eat in the church building?
45. Why did Paul remind them that he received from the Lord the
instructions which he gave them?
46. What was the old covenant?
47. Why was it necessary to make a new covenant?
48. What is the new covenant?
49. What does the Lord's supper call upon the worshiper to re-
member?
50. What do the Scriptures teach about the coming of Christ?
215
CHAPTER ELEVEN
51. Should one refrain from raking the Lord's supper because of a
feeling of unworthiness?
52. To what does "unworthy manner" refer?
53. What should be done about the awareness of guilt as one ap-
proaches the Lord's supper?
54. What is meant by "discern the body"?
55. What is meant by "discerned ourselves"?
56. What chastisement had befallen the church at Corinth?
57. Why does the Lord chasten His people?
58. What would Paul need to do upon his next visit to Corinth?
For Discussion
1. What effect should the proper observance of the Lord's supper
have on the life of the church?
2. What effect should the awareness of the coming of Christ have
on the life and work of the church?
3. What can be done to make these great issues effective in the
life of the church?
216
CHAPTER TWELVE
Analysis
A. Paul explains the basic principles of spiritual gifts (1-11).
1. He shows how the Corinthians were to determine when one
was speaking under the direction of the Spirit of God ( 1-3 ) •
a) He did not want them to be without knowledge about
these things. Evidently this was because of the confusion
and division in the church over these gifts.
b) He reminds them of their experience when they were led
away to the dumb idols. They had been led to believe that
they were receiving divine direction from their pagan gods.
c) He makes known to them the test by which they were to
know when one was speaking under the direction of the
Spirit of God:
(1) No one while he was speaking under the power of
the Spirit of God could say ANATHEMA JESUS.
(2) No one could say LORD JESUS except under the
direction of the Holy Spirit. God did not permit the
"unclean spirit" to say LORD JESUS.
2. He explains the variety, manifestations, and classification of
the giks (4-11).
a) The various things of spirit are related to the Spirit, the
Lord, and to God.
( 1 ) There are various gifts, but the same Spirit.
( 2 ) There are various services, but the same Lord.
( 3 ) There are various workings, but the same God.
b) These manifestations of the Spirit are for the benefit of all.
c) Nine gifts are mentioned. They fall logically into three
groups:
( 1 ) Those referring to the revealed truth:
( a ) The word of wisdom.
( b ) The word of knowledge.
(2) Those referring to the confirmation of the revealed
truth:
(a) Faith, in the same Spirit.
( b ) Gifts of healing, in the one Spirit.
(c) Working of miracles.
(3) Those referring to methods of proclaiming the Word:
(a) Prophecy.
217
I CORINTHIANS
(b) Discerning of spirits.
(c) Tongues (languages).
(d) Interpretation of tongues.
d) The one Spirit distributes these gifts as He wills.
B. Paul explains the necessity of maintaining the unity of the church,
the body of Christ, although the many members of the body
possess different spiritual gifts (12-31).
1. He explains this oneness by referring to the human body with
its many members ( 12-26) .
a) He lays down the basic principle of unity (12-13).
( 1 ) He declares that the principle of the oneness of the
body applies to Christ, that is, to His body which is
the church (12).
(2) He explains how they became one in the church (13).
(a) The oneness was the result of all — whether
Jew or Greek, whether bond or free — being
baptized in one spirit into one body. i
(b) In so doing, all were made to drink of (par-
ticipate in ) one spirit.
b) He explains the necessity for the many members in the one
body (14-19). '■-.
( 1 ) He indicates that the distinction between the foot and
the hand and between the ear and the eye does not
remove the fact that each member is a necessary par|
.-.. of tie-body ( 14-16).
(2) He asks questions that point out the same thing;
What if the whole body were one member, as an eye
or an ear, where would the body be? ( 17-19 ) . «
c) He explains certain principles that must be observed in
order to prevent schism in the body (20-26 ) . n
(1) The principle of dependence: each one needs the
other (20-21). •
(2) The principle of honor: the relation of the honorable
to the less honorable parts of the body (22-24) .
(3) The principle of divine arrangement: God is the au-
thor of the arrangement that promotes mutual cont
cern and allows no schism in the body (25-26). .;
2. He applies these principles to the church (27-31). ,•/
a) He reminds his readers of this important fact: We are the
body of Christ, and each member is a part of the body, but
not the whole body (27 ) .
218
CHAPTER TWELVE 12:1-11
b) He reminds them that God set the following in the church:
(1) Persons: First, apostles; second, prophets; third,
teachers.
(2 ) Gifts: Miracles, healings, governments, tongues.
c) He asks a series of questions implying negative answers to
show how the principles apply to the situation at Corinth
(29-30).
d ) He concludes with a two-fold suggestion (31)-
( 1 ) Desire earnestly the greater gifts.
(2) Follow a most excellent way which he is about to
show them.
Text
12:1-11. Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not
have you ignorant. 2 Ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye were led
.away unto those dumb idols, howsoever ye might be led. 3 Wherefore
I make known unto you, that no man speaking in the Spirit of God
saith, Jesus is anathema; and no man can say, Jesus is Lord, but in the
Holy Spirit.
4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And
there are diversities of ministrations, and the same Lord. 6 And there
iare diversities of workings, but the same God, who worketh all things
in all. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit to
profit withal. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the word of
wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same
Spirit: 9 to another faith, in the same Spirit; and to another gifts of
healings, in the one Spirit; 10 and to another workings of miracles;
and to another prophecy; and to another discernings of spirits: to an-
other divers kinds of tongues; and to another the interpretation of
tongues: 11 but all these worketh the one and the same Spirit,
dividing to each one severally even as he will.
Commentary
Basic Principles of Spiritual Gifts (1-11)
Now concerning spiritual gifts. — For the expression, "Now concern-
ing" see comment on 7:1. We should remember that the italicized
word "gifts" is supplied by the translators. Since Paul is discussing
services and workings as well as gifts, there seems to be no good
reason for adopting the word "gifts" to cover the whole subject. Up
to this point in the epistle Paul has discussed such things as marriage,
219
12:1,2 I CORINTHIANS
meats, idolatry, and worship. He now turns to the things that belong
to spirit— the miraculous powers which were present in the early
church and the subject of the resurrection of the dead. He wanted
them to know the truth about these things because certain abuses and
misunderstandings had caused strife and division in the church. This
was true in particular of the gift of tongues.
Ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye were lei away.— The section
form chapter twelve through chapter fourteen should be studied as a
unit. Paul presents basic principles in chapter twelve that must be
kept in mind when reading chapter, fourteen. It is possible to get a
different view of the subject of tongues if we begin with chapter
fourteen instead of starting with chapter twelve where this gift is
listed among the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Again, chapter thirteen
should not be taken out of context and used only as a lesson of the
great theme of love, for' it is an essential pari: of the discussion of
the issue of tongues that confronted the church at Corinth.
-Before the Corinthians became Christian they were accustomed to
being led away to speechless idols. Paul is now to point out the conrast
between the pagan oracle and the divine revelation given to, the
church through the Spirit of God. He had explained in chapter two
how the apostles were enabled to reveal the Word of God: they were
under the control of the Holy Spirit. Converts from paganism would
remember that their priests had claimed to give divine direction from
the pagan gods. They had been carried away by popular belief and
custom like so many prisoners to their execution. It was like being
carried away by some irresistible flood. False doctrine does the same'
thing today. Many aire being swept off their feet by the pressures of
popular religious movements which claim to have the power of the
Holy Spirit just as the apostles and the early church did.
The problem faced by the church at Corinth was: Hqw could they
know that those who had the gifts were actually speaking under the
direction of the Holy Spirit? How could they know that it was not
deception just as that to which they had been accustomed under pagan-
ism? The issue was clear: Under the Spirit of God one could not say
ANATHEMA JESUS. Why? Because the Holy Spirit, which Jesus
called the Spirit of truth would not permit one under His direction to
utter a falsehood. Note the case of Balaam whom God did not permit
to pronounce a curse on His people (Num. 24:11-13). On the
other hand, no one could say LORD JESUS under the direction of a
spirit except the Holy Spirit. Pagan pretenders did not Confess Jesus
220^
CHAPTER TWELVE 12:2
as Lord. Of course, anyone might utter these phrases, but one did not
need to assume that such a person was under divine direction in doing
so. The test was for those who claimed to speak under the power of
God's Spirit. Jesus said of the Holy Spirit, "He shall glorify me"
(John 16:13). It must not be assumed that the utterance of pious
words and references to the Holy Spirit and claims to be led by the
Spirit today are valid proofs that one is speaking under the power
of the Spirit. Certainly God's Spirit, the Spirit of truth, will not lead
one to say things today that are contrary to that which He caused to
be written in the Bible. The spiritual gifts enabled the Corinthians
to recognize the pretender in their day; the truth of the Bible enables
one to do the same today!
unto those dumb idols, howsoever ye might be led. — Pagans assumed
that their gods communicated with them in three ways. ( 1 ) Through
their priests who "interpreted" various kinds of signs. In this way they
were led to believe that the gods were pleased or angry. ( 2 ) Through
those who uttered unintelligible sounds in a state of ecstasy. Under
emotional stress induced by various methods the priest or priestess was
supposed to deliver a message from the gods to the one seeking
guidance. ( 3 ) Through attempted or actual communication with the
spirits of the dead. The Old Testament gives some basis for the as-
sumption that this may have been possible. God had legislated against
"familiar spirits" (Deut. 18:11). In the days of Saul, those who had
"familiar spirits" were put out of the land, but, in the end, Saul him-
self sought information from the woman of Endor (I Sam. 28:7).
Demon possession in the New Testament period may also indicate
that "evil spirits" were permitted to communicate with the living.
Paul indicated that the idolaters were actually worshiping demons (I
Cor. 10:20). The apostle John said, "believe not every spirit, but
: prove the spirits whether they are from God, because many false
prophets are gone out into the world (I John 4:1). The criterion by
which they were known was their teaching about Jesus Christ.
The Corinthians must have been thoroughly familiar with this
pagan procedure. Lest there be any doubt about the source of a com-
munication, Paul gave them the rule by which to test any one who
claimed to speak by the Holy Spirit. A person speaking under the
direction of the Spirit of God could not say ANAMETHA JESUS,
and no one could say LORD JESUS except by the Holy Spirit. This
meant, of course, that no one under the power of an evil spirit could
say LORD JESUS.
221
12:3 I CORINTHIANS
This is an important distinction between paganism and Christian-
ity* God did speak to the fathers in the Old Testament days and at
the end of the days of revelation He did speak with finality and com-
pleteness and authority through the one whose exalted character is
seen in the name "Son" (Heb. 1:1-2). Since God spoke the message,
it was authoritative; since it was spoken through the Son at the end
of the days of revelation, it was final; since it was final, it had to be
complete. This divine communication came through the Holy Spirit
who spoke through the inspired apostles and prophets. The Bible is
the written record of that communication. The issue is: Do we accept
the Bible as the final, complete, and authoritative revelation of the
will of God? This is not a plea for blind submission to authority, but
a plea for an intelligent, loving, and obedient submission to God.
no man speaking in the Spirit of God.— The ability to speak in or
under the control of the Holy Spirit is mentioned throughout the
Bible. Jesus plainly taught that the Holy Spirit would speak through
His apostles (Matt. 10:20). Peter mentions the fact that "the Holy
Spirit spake by the mouth of David" (Acts 1:16). On the Day of
Pentecost, the apostles "were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to
speak ;with' other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts
2:4). The record of what was said at that time is given in the second
chapter of Acts. When Paul had laid his; hands on the twelve men at
Ephesus. who. responded to his instruction and were baptized into the
name of the Lord Jesusy "the Holy Spirit came upon them; and they
spake, with tongues, and prophesied" ( Acts 19 : 6 ) .
The JrLoly Spirit did speak, through men to give an intelligible mes-
sage for the guidance of those who were seeking to do the will of
God and follow His truth. (John 16:13-14). How to distinguish this
from the pretended claims of the pagan priests was the problem which
the Corinthians faced.
Jesus is anametba.—Ana.meiha. means accursed or completely devoted
to destruction. Those who hated Him in His lifetime sought to do
this very thing, but God raised Him up from the dead. Those who
also hated Him as He was proclaimed by His apostles cried AnAME-
THA JESUS. But Paul reminded the Corinthians that this could not
be done by one who spoke by the Spirit of God.
Jesus is Lord.— The ancients were used to the phrase LORD CAESAR.
It suggested complete devotion to the emperor and implied that he
was deity. But the Christians said LORD JESUS and by so doing
acknowledged Him as God. To say that He is Lord and mean it is to
say that He is to have complete direction of one's life.
222
CHAPTER TWELVE 12:4-7
diversities of gifts, — The charismatic gifts mentioned in this chapter
were the various miraculous powers distributed by the Holy Spirit to
individuals in the church upon whom the apostles had laid their
hands. They were to serve during the period in which the New Testa-
ment was being written. "The word that was spoken through the
Lord was confirmed by them that heard, God also bearing witness
with them, both by signs and wonders, and manifold powers, and
gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will (Heb. 2:3-4). The
apostles "went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working
with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed them"
(Mark 16:20). The word "gift" in other contexts means simply "gra-
cious gifts." Eternal life is God's gracious gift to the believer in
Christ (Rom. 6:23). Paul wanted to impart some "spiritual gift" to
the Romans — probably the encouragement that his faith would be to
them (Rom. 1 : 1 1 ) . He mentioned the fact that each one has his own
gracious gift from God — self-control ( I Cor. 7:7).
"Diversities" actually refers to the fact that the Holy Spirit distribu-
ted the various gifts, the Lord distributed the services, and God dis-
tributed the workings which effectively accomplished His purpose.
These distributions enabled those who received them to perform the
necessary work for the benefit of the whole church. For example,
there were the apostles, prophets, and teachers who had the gifts of
wisdom and knowledge; these and others worked miracles and healed
the sick to prove that God was directing the church by the Holy
Spirit. Some spoke in foreign languages, others translated, and still
others had divine power to decide correctly concerning the spirits that
spoke.
the same Spirit. — All the gifts were given by the same Spirit; all the
services were rendered under the direction of the same Lord; and all
the effects produced by divine power were from the same God. Since
the apostle mentioned the same Spirit, the same Lord, and the same
God, the Corinthians could easily see that there was no excuse for
anyone to have a spirit of jealousy or arrogance because of any gift
that he might have received. Division over tongues would have been
avoided if they had remembered that service and not personal honor
was the principle involved in the distribution, of these gifts.
the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal. — The apostle stresses
the fact that the Holy Spirit had distributed these gifts and powers.
They were to help the whole church and not just the individual who
received them. They enabled some to speak in foreign languages to
223
12:7-10 I CORINTHIANS
convince the unbeliever that God was with them; miracles were per-
formed to confirm the spoken word; the gift of discerning of spirits
was exercised to protect the church from the "spirit or error" (I John
4:6).
word of wisdom, word of knowledge. — These gifts had to do with the
revealing of the truth of God. For the meaning of "wisdom" > see
the comments on chapters one and two. The word "knowledge,"
which we may not be able to define with absolute accuracy, was prob-
ably the ability to understand the revealed message of wisdom. The
Corinthians who possessed these gifts knew exactly what was meant
by each of these terms. Our uncertainty in some instances is a positive
proof that we do not possess them. An example of the meaning of
wisdom and knowledge is given, in Peter's message on Pentecost. It
came by direct revelation through the Holy Spirit. But the expression,
"to you is the promise, and to your children and to all that are afar
off," was not completely understood by the apostle. Later the Lord
had to give him a demonstration that this meant Gentiles as well as
Jews. See Acts 10:15, 34-35. This helps us see why the early church
needed the gift of knowledge. We have the information in the whole
Bible to guide us in the understanding of any given problem today,
faith, healings, miracles, i^— The second group of gifts pertained to the
confirmation, of the revealed message of wisdom.
Faith, as it is used in this context, is the belief through which the
power to perform miracles was made operational for those to whom
such power had been given. J. W. McGarvey r in the.NW Testament
Commentary on Acts, says that no amount of faith ever enabled one
to perform a miracle to whom such power had not been given. It was
the Spirit who distributed these gifts. He did it through the laying on
of the apostle's hands (Acts 8:18; II Tim. 1:6). One should dis-
tinguish carefully between the use of faith in connection with miracles
and the faith that saves. The latter is the belief that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of the living God, based on the testimony of the Bible, ex-
pressed in obedience that leads to eternal life. Faith may also refer
to' the whole body of Christian doctrine that is to be believed. See
Gal. 1:22-23 and Jude 3. The eleventh chapter of Hebrews presents
faith as the acceptance of God's instruction upon which the great
men whose names are mentioned there built their lives that Were
characterized by trust in God and victory through obedience to Him.
Faith is a complete commitment-— intellectual, volitional, and emo-
tional — to the Lord through . obedience to His Word, For "faith to
remove mountains" see notes on 13 :2.
224
CHAPTER TWELVE 12:10,11
The gift of healings had to do with miraculous recovery from ill-
ness. All healing, of course, comes from God, but this was miraculous.
"Miraculous" means that it occurred instantaneously. No long period
of convalescence followed the healing as in the case of ordinary re-
covery from sickness. We often hear the word "miraculous" applied
to those cases today in which some unexplained change takes place,
such as an unexpected passing of a crisis. But this is not the same as
the Bible miracle. In the apostolic period, miracles were performed by
the apostles and others upon whom they laid their hands. Complete
and instantaneous recovery is the mark of the genuine Bible miracle.
James 5:15 is often cited to support the claim of "faith healing"
today. A full translation of that verse will help us to see what it
means: "The prayer of that kind of faith will heal him that is sick."
The article used with the word "faith" indicates that it was the faith
of the elders — the same faith about which we read in I Cor. 12:9 —
that produced a miraculous healing. James cites the miracles in the
days of Elijah to prove his point. No elder today has had the apostles'
hands laid on him, and we can confidently say that no elder has that
power of miraculous healing today. That gift was for the primary
purpose of confirming the Word. See John's plain statement of the
purpose of miracles in John 20:30-31. But let us thank God for those
trained doctors and nurses who are doing so much to relieve the sick
today, and thank God also for His Word which He demonstrated to
be true, for it tells us how to be made free from sin so that we may
hope for that glad day when death and pain and mourning will be no
more (Rev. 21:4).
Working of miracles had to do with miracles other than healings.
A good example is the miracle by which Elymas was punished for his
interference with Paul's effort to bring the gospel to Sergius Paulus
(Acts 13:6-12).
prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues, —
Prophecy was more than prediction of future events. But for prophecy
in the sense of prediction, see the reference to Agabus in Acts 11:27-
30. The primary work of the prophet was to proclaim the message of
God, that is, to speak forth under the direction of the Holy Spirit ( II
Pet. 1:19-21). In this way, the prophet edified the church (I Cor.
14:4).
Discerning of spirits enabled the one who possessed this gift to
diagnose a case of demon possession. This required divine power for
the symptoms of demon possession were often exactly like those of
225
12:11 I CORINTHIANS
some physical or mental illness. See Luke 9:37-43 and 8:26-39. This
gift enabled the early church to protect itself against false teachers
who claimed to speak for God. The truth in the Bible enables us to
do the same today!
The gift of tongues was the gift that enabled one to speak an
intelligible message from God in a foreign language. See notes on
chapter fourteen for a full discussion of this gift.
Interpretation of tongues was the ability to translate a foreign
language. It was not some power to "interpret" nonsense so as to
make sense out of it. Two examples of the meaning of the word "in-
terpret" are seen in John 1:41-42, where it clearly means "translate."
worketh the one and same Spirit. — It was necessary for the apostle
to point out that all these gifts were the work of the Holy Spirit in
order to offset the claims of some that the gift of tongues was an
indication of superiority of the one who possessed the gift. It was the
Spirit Himself who distributed the gifts. There Was, therefore, no
excuse for the spirit of arrogance which some who possessed the gift
manifested.
Maintaining the Unity of the Church (12-31)
Text
12:12-31. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and
all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is
Christ. 13 For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made
to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many.
15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the
body; it is not therefore not of the body. 16 And if the ear shall say,
Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not
of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the- hear-
ing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18 But now
hath God set the .members each one of them in the body, even as
it pleased him. 19 And if they were all one member, where were the
body? 20 But now they are many members, but one body. 21 And
the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee: or again the
head to the feet, Ihave no need of you. 22 Nay, much rather, those
members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary: 23
and those parts of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon
these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have
more abundant comeliness; 24 whereas our comely parts have no
226
CHAPTER TWELVE 12:12,13
need: but God tempered the body together, giving more abundant
honor to that part which lacked; 25 that there should be no schism
in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for
another. 26 And whether one member suffereth, all the members
suffer with it; or one member is honored, all the members rejoice
with it. 27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and severally members
thereof. 28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles,
secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then miracles, then gifts of heal-
ings, helps, governments, divers kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles?
are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 30
have all gifts of healings? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
3 1 But desire earnestly the greater gifts. And moreover a most excel-
lent way show I unto you.
Commentary
so also is Christ. — Division threatened the life of the church at
Corinth. It was divided over men and doctrine; it was divided over
custom and conduct; it was divided over the abuse of the spiritual
gifts. The latter produced the most serious schism. This section of the
epistle was written to prevent splits over the possession of these
gifts. They were not given as a token of personal honor of the one
who received them, but for the building up of the body of Christ
through promoting the preaching of the gospel. Paul used the figure
of the human body to illustrate the lesson they needed so much. Just
as the body is one and has many members, so Christ has one body
of believers made up of many members with different tasks. There
was no more reason for schism in the church than there was for such
an unthinkable thing as strife and division among the members of
the human body.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. — The oneness
of the church was produced by all — whether Jew or Greek, whether
bond or free — being baptized in one spirit into one body. On the Day
of Pentecost, the three thousand who were either Jews or proselytes
were baptized in water in the name of Christ for the remission of their
sins. On the occasion of Peter's speaking to the household of Cor-
nelius, the Holy Spirit fell on all that heard his word. Because God
had poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit on that group of Gentiles,
Peter asked, "Can any man forbid the water, that these should not be
baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we? And he
227
12:13 I CORINTHIANS
commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ" (Acts
10:44-48). Thus both Jews and Gentiles were brought into the body
of Christ by the act of baptism in water. See Acts 18:8 and I Cor.
1:14-17 for additional information about the baptism of the Corin-
thians. Paul wrote to the Galatians and said, "Ye are all sons of God,
through faith, in Jesus Christ. For as many of you as were baptized
into Christ did put on Christ" (Gal. 3:26-27). There is no doubt that
the expression "baptized into Christ" refers to their baptism in water
in the name of Christ for the remission of their sins.
What, then, is the meaning of the expression, "in one Spirit we
were all baptized into one body"? To answer this question, we must
consider this important fact: The Book of Acts, which gives the his-
tory of the founding and progress of the church in the first century,
records only two cases of baptism in the Holy Spirit. The first was that
of the apostles on the Day of Pentecost, and the second was that of
the Gentile household of Cornelius ( Acts 2 : 1 -4 ; 1 : 44- 1 1 : 1 8 ) .
The following facts of Scripture on the subject of the baptism in
the Holy Spirit will help to answer our question :
1. Christ is the administrator of baptism in the Holy Spirit (Matt.
3:11). Baptism in the Holy Spirit and in fire are two different bap-
tisms. Since the burning up of the chaff can only refer to the destruc-
tion of the wicked in hell, the gathering of the wheat into the garner
must refer to the baptism in the Holy Spirit that enabled the apostles
to reveal the terms of salvation. See Jesus' promise, its fulfillment,
and its effect as given in Acts 1 : 5 , 8; 2 : 1-4, 37-39.
2. The Holy Spirit is the element in which this baptism took
place (Matt. 3:11; Acts ■1:5). Just as water was the element in
which John. baptized, so the Holy Spirit was the element in which
Christ baptized the apostles on the Day of Pentecostl But this expres-
sion must be figurative since the Holy Spirit is a person. The literal
meaning of it is to be found in Jesus' own words when He spoke of
the power which the apostles were to receive when the Holy Spirit
came upon them ( Acts 1:8). They were immersed in that power.
3. According to Acts, the apostles and the household of Cornelius
were the only, ones baptized in the Holy Spirit. Christ promised this
baptism to the apostles (Acts 1:5). Only the twelve — not the hun-
dred and twenty — were present when the Holy Spirit came on the
Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:26-2:4). Only the apostles spoke in tongues
on that day and performed miracles (Acts 2:4, 14, 43). Only the
apostles who had been baptized in the Holy Spirit laid hands on
228
CHAPTER TWELVE , 12:13,14
others to give them miraculous powers (Acts 8:18; II Tim. 1:6).
Peter clearly states that the Gentiles were baptized in the Holy Spirit
while he was speaking to them (Acts 10:44-47; 11:15-16).
4. The purpose of the baptism of the apostles in the Holy Spirit
was to enable them to recall what Jesus had said (John 14:26); to
guide them into all the truth (John 16:13-14); to speak in other
languages (Acts 2:4, 11); to perform signs to confirm their spoken
message (Acts 2:43; Heb. 2:3-4).
The purpose of the baptism of the Gentiles in the Holy Spirit was
to prove to those who accompanied Peter and to the apostles at
Jerusalem that God had granted repentance unto life to the Gentiles
(Acts 10:47-48; 11:1-18).
Since "in one Spirit" refers to all who were baptized into the one
body of Christ, it cannot mean baptism in the Holy Spirit. Both the
King James and the R. S. V. translate "by one Spirit." But the fact
remains that the Greek says "in." While there are situations in which
this Greek preposition must be rendered "by" or "with" in English,
it seems most doubtful that this is one of them. Those English versions
that have "by" seem to suggest that this has something to do with the
baptism in the Holy Spirit. But the context has to do with the spirit
of oneness of the believers in Christ who were baptized in water into
His body. It makes good sense if we translate "in one spirit — small
"s" — all were baptized into one body." That spirit was not the spirit
of a Jew or the spirit of a Gentile, it was not the spirit of a slave or a
free man, but it was the spirit or attitude of faith in Christ which
characterized all who were baptized into the one body. Since it was
in this attitude of oneness that they were baptized, the apostle urges
them to maintain this unity and overcome the jealousy and faction
that had arisen over the abuse of the spiritual gifts. This "one spirit"
forbids the unchristian conduct of the ear that would say, "I am not a
part of the body because I am not the eye."
drink of one Spirit. — All that has been said to indicate that the word
"spirit" in this context is to be spelled with the small "s" applies here.
All who were members of the body of Christ were made to share in
this oneness in Christ — the great spiritual blessing that removed all
distinctions such as Jew or Gentile and made one new man in Christ
(Eph. 2:15).
For the body, — There are three steps in the apostle's argument for
the necessity of preserving the unity of the body of Christ: (a) the
body is not one member, but many (14); (b) they are many mem-
229
12:14-29 , I CORINTHIANS
bers, but one body (20) ; (c) ye are the body of Christ, and severally
members thereof (28). No one member, regardless of the gift he
possessed, could say that he was the body. There were many members
with many gifts and functions, but there was just one body. The
church is the body of Christ, and each member is a part of that body,
not the whole body.
God set the members, each one of them, in the body. — Just as God
had a purpose for each member of the human body, so He had a pur-
pose for each of the gifts distributed by the Holy Spirit to the various
members of the church. '
God tempered the body together* — Just as honor to one member
honors all the body, so the gifts given to any one honors the whole
church.
God hath set some in the church. — If one member said, "I am not a
part of the body" that did not make it so. The member can't exist
apart from the body. Why then should some assume a spirit of ar-
rogance instead of the spirit of faith and trust in Christ because they
had gifts that differed? What if the whole body were an eye? What
if all spoke in tongues? What would become of other functions such
as helping the sick and needy? No member of the human body could
say, to another, "I have no need of you." Yet some of the people of
Corinth seemed to think that they could get along without the
others. Speaking in tongues was their only concern, but Paul re-
minded them that God had placed all the gifts in the church for a
purpose.
apostle, prophets, teachers. — The history of the church in Acts shows
that these were the ones to carry most of the work in the beginning.
As the work grew and spread throughout the world, others were given
the necessary gifts to assist in the work of the church. The impersonal
reference to gifts seems to indicate that the gift, rather than the person
who received it, was the important thing. This left no cause for divi-
sion over gifts.
helps, gopernments.-^'Helps," were the various kinds of helpful deed
which were done by deacons. The term "governments" comes from
the word that among other things referred to the piloting of a ship.
In some way, it had to do with those who gave leadership and direc-
tion to the work of the church. It may suggest the work of elders and
deacons.
Are all apostles?— Each in this series of questions requires a negative
answer. If all were apostles, where would the church be? If all spoke
in tongues, what would become of edification?
230
CHAPTER TWELVE 12:31
But desire the greater gifts. — Each gift served a purpose, but some
brought greater benefit to the church than others. The latter were the
ones to be sought although the others were not to be neglected. Proph-
ecy, for example, was of greater benefit to the church than speaking in
a foreign language unless the message was translated for the edifica-
tion of all.
a most excellent way. — Paul is now prepared to present a superior
way to a strife-torn congregation. They had been following the way
of jealousy and division over spiritual gifts. The way he is about to
show them is the way of love.
Summary
Up to this point, Paul has dealt with the problems of divisions and
derelictions as reported by those from Chloe; he has answered the
questions raised in the letter of the Corinthians about marriage,
meats, and worship. The two remaining problems of major impor-
tance that require his attention are spiritual gifts and the resurrection
of the dead. The familiar "now concerning" seems to connect this
section with the portion of the epistle that began in 7: 1.
As he begins the chapter, Paul reminds the Corinthians of the
days when they were being led away to the speechless idols that were
supposed to give them divine guidance and instruction. They now
face the privilege of being led by the inspired message from the Holy
Spirit. Their problem was how to know when one was speaking under
the direction of the Holy Spirit. The criterion by which they were to
determine the source of a message was what the speaker said about
the Lord Jesus. There were two tests to be applied: No one under
the control of the Holy Spirit could say, "Let Jesus be accursed." No
one could say, "Jesus is Lord" except under the control of the Holy
Spirit. These words, of course, could be uttered by anyone, but God
did not permit an unclean spirit to speak through a man and say
these things. The case of Balaam illustrates this point.
This chapter presents a comprehensive view of the miraculous
activities in the church at Corinth. There were the gifts distributed
through the Spirit; there were the services distributed through the
Lord; and there were the workings distributed by God. Nine gifts are
mentioned. For convenience, they may be presented in three groups:
(1 ) Those that have to do with the revelation of the will of God: wis-
dom and knowledge; (2) those that were given to confirm the Word:
faith, healings, miracles; ( 3 ) those that were used in the proclamation
231
I CORINTHIANS
of the Word: prophecy, tongues, interpretation of tongues, and dis-
cerning of spirits. All these gifts were distributed by the one Spirit as
He determined and for the benefit of the whole church. But these
gifts that were given in order that the gospel might be revealed,
established, and proclaimed became an occasion for dividing the Corin-
thian church.
Paul uses the human body with its many members to show that the
spiritual body of Christ with its many members should preserve the
unity of Christ's followers. All of them in one spirit were baptized
into the one body of Christ. In the church, there cannot be a spirit of
the Jew and a spirit of the Gentile. There can only be the spirit
of faith in the Lord Jesus which characterizes every one who is bap-
tized into the one body. This spirit should be the controlling factor in
the life of the church to make division impossible. Just as the hand
and the foot have different functions,; so the various members of the
church had different gifts and different functions, but they still be-
longed to the same body. The fact that one had the gift of tongues
and another the gift of healings was no ground for assuming a spirit
of arrogance that led to the division of the church. Apparently, how-
ever, this was the thing that was done, and it was for this reason that
Paul wrote these chapters to correct the strife and faction in the = church
atCorinth. -..■, - .-"■
, By a series of questions that called for negative answers, he showed
how impossible it was for all to be apostles, or prophets, or teachers.
He did not say that these gifts were not to be desired for they had been
given for the benefit of the church, but he did indicate that there was
a superior way for them to follow which he was about to show them,
the way of love.
■,■..... Questions
1. With what thought does Paul begin this chapter?
2. How did he indicate its connection with what had been written so
far?
3. How did the word "gifts" come to be in the opening phrase?
4. Why would it be better to adopt some other heading for this
chapter?
5. What subjects are discussed under the general heading of things
that belong to spirit? ,
6. Why was Paul concerned that the church know the truth about
these gifts?
232
CHAPTER TWELVE
7. What is the proper way to study these chapters? Why?
8. What was the background of the Corinthians that made this ex-
planation necessary?
9. What could the converts from paganism be expected to remem-
ber about claims to divine direction?
10. What figure of speech did Paul use to describe their former
experience?
11. How does it illustrate the effect of false doctrine today?
12. What, then, was the problem which the Corinthian church faced?
13. What test could they apply to one claiming to speak under the
power of the Spirit of God?
14. How does the case of Balaam illustrate the thing Paul taught
about speaking under the control of the Holy Spirit?
15. What did Jesus say the Holy Spirit was to do?
16. Does the frequent use of pious phrases indicate that one is under
the control of the Holy Spirit today?
17. What does indicate His control today?
18. What enables one to recognize a pretender today?
19- In what three ways did pagans assume that their gods communi-
cated with them?
20. What evidence is there in the Bible that the spirits of the dead
might have communicated with the living? Note: This, of course,
remains a controversial question.
21. How did John say that the church was to know about the false
prophets?
22. What tests did Paul give for the same purpose?
23. What proof is there that God did speak by the Holy Spirit through
men?
24. Where do we find the record of what He said?
25. What are the characteristics of the message of the Bible as the
written revelation of God?
26. What did Jesus say as to the fact that the Holy Spirit was to speak
through the apostles?
27. How did He speak through David?
28. What caused the apostles to speak on the Day of Pentecost?
29- What happened when Paul laid his hands on the twelve men at
Ephesus?
30. According to John 16:13-14, what kind of a message did the Holy
Spirit reveal and what was it for?
31. What does anametha mean?
233
I CORINTHIANS
32. What does it mean to say LORD JESUS?
33., How did this compare with what the pagans had been used to
saying?
34. What is meant by charismaticgifts in this chapter?
35. In what other ways was this term used in the New Testament?
36. According to Heb, 2:3-4, what was the purpose of miracles?
37. Why did Paul stress the fact that the Holy Spirit distributed these
charismatic gifts?
38. What principle was involved in the distribution of these gifts?
39- What was to be accomplished by the use of these gifts?
40. What is meant by wisdom and knowledge?
41. How does the experience of Peter just before he was to speak to
the household of Cornelius illustrate the meaning of the gift of
knowledge?
42. What was the gift of faith?
43. In what other ways is the term faith used in the. New Testament?
44. What was the characteristic of the effect of the gift of healing?
45. How did it differ from cases today that are sometimes called
"miraculous"?
46. Whose faith did James refer to in James 5: 15?
47 v What, should be the attitude of Christians towards doctors and
nurses who relieve the suffering of the sick?
48. When will pain be abolished?
49. What was the difference between working of miracles and the
gift of healings?
50. What was done through the gift of prophecy?
51. Why did they need the gift of discerning of spirits?
52. What was the gift of tongues?
53. How does John l;4l-42 help to understand the meaning of the
gift of interpretation of tongues?
54. What was the nature of the division in the church at Corinth?
5 5 . What was the basis of the oneness of the church?
56. What act brings all into the body of Christ?
57. What are the facts of Scripture about baptism in the Holy Spirit?
58. What did Paul mean by "In one Spirit all were baptized into one
body"?
59. What are the three steps in Paul's argument for the necessity of
preserving the oneness of the church?
60. How does God's purpose for the members of the human body il-
lustrate His purpose for the gifts distributed to the members of
the church at Corinth?
234
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
61. What is the significance of Paul's impersonal reference to gifts?
62. What is meant by "helps"?
63. What background illustrates the meaning of "governments"?
64. To whose work did "governments" refer?
65. What was the basis of determining what the greater gifts were?
66. What was the most excellent way?
For Discussion
1. How do the reported cases of faith healing today compare with
the Scriptural facts about miraculous healing?
2. Which, in your opinion, would have the greater effect on the un-
converted world today, a miracle of physical healing or the mir-
acle of a transformed life (Rom. 12:1-2).
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Analysis
A. In a series of conditional statements with their conclusions, Paul
argues for the necessity of following the most excellent way of love
as a means of avoiding schism over spiritual gifts (1-3) .
1. He assumes the possibility of using the gifts of tongues — the
ability to communicate in foreign languages or even to use lan-
guage that is on the angelic level — without being controlled by
love; as a result, he says, "I have become echoing brass or a
noisy cymbal."
2. He assumes the possibility of using the gift of prophecy, and
having knowledge of all mysteries, and having the gift of
knowledge without love as the controlling factor; as a result,
he says, "I am nothing."
3. He assumes that he might go so far as to dole out all his goods
to feed the poor or even suffer martyrdom and still not have
love; as a result, he says, "I gain nothing."
B. Paul explains what love does and what it does not do ( 3-7 ) .
1. He mentions two things that it does:
a ) Love suffers long.
b) Love is kind.
2. He lists a series of things that love does not do:
a ) It doesn't cause one to be filled with jealousy.
b ) It doesn't cause one to brag.
c) It isn't puffed up with arrogance and pride.
d ) It doesn't behave unbecomingly.
e) It doesn't seek its own things.
f ) It doesn't become irritated.
235
I CORINTHIANS
g) It doesn't count evil.
h) It doesn't rejoice over wrongdoing, but rejoices with the
the truth.
3. He indicates what love does in relation to all things:
a) It covers all things.
b) It believes all things.
c) It hopes all things. ,
d) It endures all things.
C. Paul points out the enduring quality of love — the most excellent
way — in contrast to the transitory nature of the spiritual gifts
(8-12).
1. He declares that love never fails, but the gifts which are transi-
tory will pass away.
a) Whether these gifts be prophecies, tongues or knowledge,
they will pass away.
b) He shows why this must be: We know in part and we pro-
phesy in part
c) These transitory gifts that are in part will pass away when
the perfect (completed) thing comes,
2. He illustrates the meaning of this contrast.
a) He does so by referring to the time when he was a child
and to the time when he had become a man.
(1) When he was a child, he spoke, felt, and thought
as a child. This corresponds to the time when the
church had spiritual gifts — tongues, prophecy, and
knowledge.
(2) After he had become a man, he put away things that
* belonged to childhood. This corresponds to the transi-
tory spiritual gifts that were abolished when the per-
fect revelation came.
b) He does so by referring to the contrast between seeing in a
mirror and seeing face to face.
(1) The gifts correspond to the imperfect reflection in a
mirror. "Now" refers to the time when the church
had these gifts.
(2) The completed thing (the Bible) corresponds to see-
ing face to face. "Then" refers to the time when the
completed revelation had come.
D. He sums up this important lesson on the most excellent way of
love (13).
236
CHAPTER THIRTEEN 13:1
1. He mentions the three things that abide now: faith, hope, love.
2. He declares that of these three love is the greatest.
3. He urges them to follow after love.
Text
13: 1-3. If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have
not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. 2 And
if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowl-
edge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not
love, I am nothing. 3 And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,
and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me
nothing.
Commentary
Necessity of the Most Excellent Way (1-3)
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, — Chapter thirteen
is an essential part of the discussion of spiritual gifts. It is not to be
taken as a separate exposition of the subject of love. In chapter twelve,
Paul had indicated that schism had entered the church over these gifts.
In chapter thirteen, he shows that this must be prevented by following
the way of love, whether the problem be the misuse of the gift of
speaking in a foreign language or the gift of prophecy or the gift of
knowledge or even such things as benevolence and martyrdom. In
chapter fourteen, he shows how the gift of tongues was to be made
equal with prophecy in its benefit to the church. By translation, the
message spoken in a foreign language could be understood by the
whole church. Thus love is the controlling factor in the use of all
these gifts; interpretation (translation) of tongues was the necessary
accompanying gift that was designed to make the gift of tongues of
equal benefit with prophecy and to keep it from becoming a source
of strife and jealousy in the church.
tongues of men and, of angels. — This suggests that there are two lev-
els of language, human and angelic. Language is a means of commu-
nicating an intelligible message to intelligent beings. By tongues of
men, Paul means the languages spoken by men — foreign languages in
this context. By tongues of angels, he refers to angelic communication.
Just what this is, we, of course, cannot say with certainty. Paul gives
two suggestions: (1) In Rom. 8:26, he says that the Holy Spirit
makes intercession for us with groanings or sighs that cannot be ut-
tered. They are incapable of being expressed in human language; (2)
In II Cor. 12:4, he speaks of having been caught up into Paradise
where he heard "unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man
237
13:1 I CORINTHIANS
to utter." This only suggests that there is a level of intelligent com-
munication that is above the human. In chapter fourteen, he also sug-
gests that there is a level of communication that is lower than human
speech — that which is communicated by such things as the bugle.
We can be sure that the gift of tongues was not "tongues of angels"
for it was the ability to speak in a foreign language without previous
study or knowledge, This was plainly seen on the Day of Pentecost
when each one heard the message that is recorded in Acts 2 in his own
native language. Neither can it be the pagan pretense that consisted in
uttering speech-like sounds in ecstasy, for that was not communication.
Neither is there any good evidence that the Corinthian gift of tongues
was like this pagan thing, for it was the gift the Holy Spirit distrib-
uted for the benefit of the whole church. Paul used the gift and said
to the church, "I would have all of you speak in tongues" — foreign
languages.
but have not love— -This, then, is the point of his message: to use the
gift of speaking in a foreign language or even in angelic language
without being controlled by the principle of love as defined in this
chapter Would result in becoming as meaningless as sounding brass or
a clanging cymbal. Brass or copper was the metal used to make the
echoing gong or other instrument to make noise. It has the ability to
repeat the sound without giving an intelligible message. Without love,
this gift of the Spirit of God would become just so much noise. Clang-
ing is the sound of men rushing to battle; it is the shout of many
voices but without a message. Preaching without love is just so much
noise.
Jealousy and faction in the church at Corinth over the use of the
gift of tongues was effectively nullifying the message of the gospel
which taught, among other things, that all in one spirit had been bap-
tized into one body — the body of Christ.
There are two important New Testament words that are translated
"love." One has to do with feelings; the other — the one that Paul uses
in this chapter — while expressing feelings, can respond to the will. For
example, Paul says that love is kind. We as human beings are capable
of responding to God's command to be kind to one another. The first
is the love of friendship; the second is the love that can include ene-
mies. We can be kind to those who persecute us. Jesus didn't require
the impossible when He said, "Love your enemies." This love was to
be expressed in doing good for them. It is in this sense that God loved
the world and demonstrated it by sending His Son to Calvary. This
does not imply that one can have the same feeling for an enemy as
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CHAPTER THIRTEEN 13:1-3
for a friend, but it may indicate that by loving the enemy he might
even be changed into the kind of person for whom one could have a
feeling of friendship.
And if I have the gift of prophecy, — Prophecy was speaking for God
under the direction of the Holy Spirit in the language of the people,
hence, no translating was necessary. Speaking in tongues — foreign
languages — had to be translated for all except the foreigner who, of
course, understood his own language. But to use the gift of prophecy
or the other gifts mentioned in the text without love would simply
mean, as the apostle put it, that "I am nothing." Where is the boast-
ing over miraculous powers if the body of Christ is split and torn by
faction rather than having its oneness preserved for the benefit of a
lost world by the most excellent way of love?
know all mysteries. — A mystery, as used in the New Testament, was
the message which God revealed through His inspired apostles. It
would have remained a mystery forever if He had not revealed it. See
comment on chapter 2:6-10.
Faith to remove mountains. — See comment on 12:9- Jesus used the
expression, "faith as a grain of mustard seed" to remind His disciples
that the least amount of faith in connection with the performing of
miracles would enable them to move a mountain or uproot the syca-
mine tree. See Matt. 17: 19-20 and Luke 17:5-6.
"Faith to remove mountains" does not mean mountains of trouble.
It means real mountains and explains the limitless power of God that
was given by the Spirit through the apostles to enable the early church
to perform miracles, speak in tongues, heal the sick, and perform other
acts by which the Word of God was being established (Heb. 2:3-4).
We should not confuse this with the loving trust in God and in
His promises that enables the faithful Christian to victoriously face the
trials of this life.
I am nothing. — The conclusions of Paul's three arguments stated in
the form of conditions are significant. Without love, he says, "I am a
gong, a cymbal." Without love, "I am nothing." Without love, "I
gain nothing." Why should the Corinthians create strife in the church
for nothing?
Text
13:4-7. Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love
vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 doth not behave itself un-
seemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of
evil; 6 rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth;
239
13:4-6 I CORINTHIANS
7 beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, ehdureth
all things.
Commentary
What Love Does (4-7)
Love suffers long and is kind. — If we would know the meaning of
love, see it in action. Love has the quality that lasts and it is kind.
These two characteristics of love if put into practice would by them-
selves stop most of the wrangling in churches. In all probability there
were in Corinth some short-tempered men who could not look with
kindness on the fact that some members of the church seemed to be
more prominent than they. This was the foot saying, "Because I am
not the hand, I am not of the body." We should think of the kindness
of God our Saviour and be kind to one another (Titus 3:3-5; Eph.
4:31-32).
Love envies not. — Love is not jealous of the honor or success of oth-
ers. But there was jealousy in the Corinthian church because one had
the gift of tongues while others had gifts that were less desirable to
them. But all the gifts were distributed by the same Spirit according to
His will for the benefit of all the church. Love is the antidote for
jealousy in the church.
love vaunteth not itself,— lave does not brag about its gifts, posses-
sions, honors, or accomplishments. It is this spirit of the braggart that
tends to produce jealousy in a church. Bragging about ability to speak
in tongues was destroying the body of Christ at Corinth. "He that
glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" (I Cor. 1:31).
is not puffed up. — -It isn't inflated — a thing that arrogance and pride
produce. Some of the Corinthians were puffed up over position, but
failed to carry out their responsibilities in the church (5:2).
doth not behave itself unseemly. — The conduct of love is not unbe-
coming to a Christian. Christianity is rooted and grounded in love.
But much of the conduct of the church at Corinth was unbecoming to
men professing to love God and claiming to be the objects of His
love. They were guilty of practicing division, immorality, going to
law before heathen judges, and wrangling over the possession of
spiritual gifts, especially the gift of tongues. If one's conduct is un-
becoming to a Christian, he needs to be shown the most excellent way,
the way of love.
seeketh not its own.— Selfishness was the root of much of the trouble
in the church at Corinth. "If the whole body were an eye, where were
the hearing?" "The body is not one member, but many." There is
240
CHAPTER THIRTEEN 13:6,7
work enough and honor enough for every member of the church.
Love is the axe to use to cut the root of selfishness before it bears bit-
terness and strife to the shame of those who call themselves the body
of Christ. Paul had this to say to the Philippians, "in lowliness of
mind each counting others better than himself; not looking each of
you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.
Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:3-5 ) .
is not provoked. — It is not love that makes one irritable. We stand
amazed at the gentleness of Jesus in situations that would have pro-
voked most men, but He was the embodiment of love. The church at
Corinth needed to be more Christlike in so many ways, especially in
the use of spiritual gifts. Sharp disagreement over the relative value
of tongues and prophecy was making the church appear ridiculous in
the eyes of the pagan communtiy to which it was supposed to be
bringing the gospel of redemption.
taketh not account of evil. — Watch that man who sets down in his
notebook every evil deed done to him whether real or imaginary for
the purpose of getting even. Love is not his master. 'Whether one
member suffereth, all the members suffer with it; or one member is
honored, all the members rejoice with it." The church needs to re-
member that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth. — Is it
possible that there were some in Corinth who were rejoicing over the
fact that the leader of the party to which they belonged had the gift
of tongues even though he might have been misusing it for personal
glory? Did some rejoice in the assumption that they could practice
unrighteousness with impunity because they were members of the
church? Love cannot rejoice in the unrighteous conduct of misguided
church members. Love does rejoice with the truth. John says, "I re-
joice greatly that I have found certain of thy children walking in the
truth, even as we received commandment from the Father" (II John
4).
beareth all things. — Paul spoke of bearing the hard things that he
faced in his work as an apostle to the Gentiles in order to win some
to Christ. The root from which the word "beareth" comes means a
roof or a cover. Love wards off insults and injuries; love won't men-
tion the unlovely traits in others; love won't remember the unkind
deed, but is always ready to forgive. The church at Corinth with its
imagined slights over the distribution of the spiritual needed so much
to be shown the most excellent way,
241
13:7 I CORINTHIANS
believeth all things. — Some people cannot believe that there, is any
good in those who do not support their views or belong to their party
or follow the leader they believe to be superior. Some who followed
Apollos discredited every thing that Paul did. Love looks for the good
in others and is willing to believe that others not only mean well but
actually do some good. Some elders cannot bring themselves to be-
lieve that the deacons are really concerned about the church. Some
deacons cannot believe that it is an honor to serve in the body of
Christ, but long for the "promotion" to the "position" of elder. But
love for the Lord, and love for His church, and love for the lost be-
lieves that it is a privilege to serve in the most inconspicuous way that
Christ might be exalted and that the lost might be saved.
hppeth all things.— Gentiles once had no hope and were without God
in the world (Eph. 2:12), but "in hope we were saved" (Rom. 8:24).
Had some of the Corinthians forgotten these vital issues? Israel' lost
hope.of the promised land as they faced the trials of the journey. Some
of the Corinthians were saying "that there is no resurrection of the
dead" (I Cor. 15:12). But love could say with Peter, "Blessed be the
God and Father of our, Lord Jesus Christ, who: according to his great
mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead", >( I Pet. 1:3). Is there any wonder that the
Corinthians were striving for supposed, superiority in the possession
of spiritual gifts instead, of walking the most excellent way of love?
endureth all, things. — Love is like the good soldier who stands up un-
der every attack of the enemy. Love is the way to defeat schism in the
body of Christ, for it leads to obedience to Him rather than human
leaders.
Text
13:8-12. Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they
shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease;
whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away. 9 For we know
in part, and we prophesy in part; 10 but when that which is perfect
is come, that which is in part shall be done away. 1 1 When I was a
child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now
that I am become a man, I have put away childish things. 12 For
now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in
part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known.
Commentary
The Transitory Nature of Spiritual Gifts (8-12)
Love never fails.— -When taken with the statement, "love endures all
things," we see why Paul says that love never fails. To endure is to
242
CHAPTER THIRTEEN 13:8-12
withstand all the attacks of the enemy. Love that does that never fails.
It stands up after the battle rolls on. It is like the walls of the city that
never fall before the enemy assault. This fittingly introduces, by way
of contrast, the transitory nature of the spiritual gifts: prophecy,
tongues, and knowledge. It was not necessary for Paul to repeat the
whole list for one to understand that all of the spiritual gifts were to
be wiped out when the completed revelation should come.
in part . , . that which is perfect. — While spiritual gifts served a worth-
while purpose, they were, at best, only in part; they were not the com-
plete thing. That is why they were of necessity transitory; they were to
give way to that which is perfect. But what is the perfect thing? Com-
mentators suggest that it is Christ or the perfection that will be known
when He comes. But there is no reference to the coming of Christ in
this context. The word translated "perfect" means "mature" when it
refers to persons as in 2:6. Paul says, "We speak wisdom, however,
among them that are fullgrown." When it refers to things, as in this
case, it means the end or purpose achieved by the thing, complete.
That which was in part must balance with that which is complete.
The things that were in part, the spiritual gifts, were used of the Lord
to bring the revelation of His will to man. Without the work of the
inspired apostles we never would have known the "wisdom of God."
The spiritual gifts given by the Spirit through the laying on of apos-
tolic hands made it possible for others to reveal the same wisdom of
God. But when this revelation was committed to writing as it was
in the first century, there remained no further purpose to be fulfilled
by these gifts. Therefore, when the completed revelation — the Bible
— came, the things that were in part were abolished.
By walking in the most excellent way, the Corinthian church
should have been able to use the gifts for the benefit of the whole
church while awaiting the day when the completed revelation would
be available for all to use.
When I was a chili. — The apostle clearly indicates that the spiritual
gifts belonged to the childhood period of the church; their possession
and use were not the mark of spiritual maturity.
now that I am become a man. — As the mature man puts away child-
ish things, the church could look to the time when it was to have the
completed revelation of the Word and put away the transitory spiritual
gifts.
For now we see in a mirror darkly. — The subject is still spiritual gifts.
It is not a reference to time as opposed to eternity. By "now" Paul
243
13:12,13 I CORINTHIANS
points to the situation which existed at Corinth. They had the gift of
tongues, but it was like seeing an imperfect reflection in a mirror in
contrast to the perfect view possible through completed revelation in
the Bible.
but then face to face.-r- This is not a reference to the coming of Christ
when we shall see Him as He is. By "then" Paul is indicating the
time when the completed revelation would be available for. all.
now I know In part. — This was true of the time when the gifts were
being used as opposed to the full knowledge that would be possible
through the complete revelation in the Bible. It is not a reference to
the partial knowledge of this life as opposed to knowledge in heaven.
Context does not permit the application to heaven.
as I was fully known. — Just as God knew the needs of all men so He
has given complete instruction in His Word for life and godliness
(II Pet. 1:2-4).
-.:.., .. Text ■■-..■.
13:13. But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the
greatest of these is love.
Commentary
Things That Abide (13)
But now abideth. — There was no reason for the church at Corinth to
feel insecure simply because they were in the childhood period of the
church so far as spiritual gifts were concerned. While they were look-
ing forward to the completed revelation of the Word of God, they
were reminded that there were things that did abide — faith, hope,
love,
faith. — Faith as an abiding thing is not to be confused with faith
which is listed as one of the spiritual gifts, for that was a thing that
would be done away. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ whom God raised
from the dead is an abiding faith. Paul said, "I know him whom I
have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which
I have committed unto him against that day" (II Tim. 1:12).
hope.— Hope that is based solidly on the fact of the resurrection will
abide until He comes with the clouds and every eye shall see Him
(Rev. 1:7).
love. — This is the most excellent way; it was permanent; it was the
greatest of the three abiding things. The apostle's advice is: "Follow
after love."
Summary
In many ways, chapter thirteen is the high point in First Corinthi-
ans. Even taken alone, it is a wonderful message of practical value.
244
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The most excellent way should be followed by all Christians of all
ages. But, like all Scripture, it should not be taken out of its context
if it is to be understood. We should remember that chapters twelve,
thirteen, and fourteen are a unit and should be studied together. This
is seen in the closing statement of chapter twelve and the opening
words of chapter fourteen. Paul closes the twelfth chapter by saying,
"And moreover a most excellent way show I unto you." Then in chap-
ter thirteen he shows the importance, the meaning, and the abiding
nature of love. This he does over against the wrangling that was going
on in the church at Corinth over the possession of spiritual gifts, par-
ticularly, the gift of tongues. The climax of his appeal is: "Follow
after love."
In a series of conditional statements, Paul raises the question of the
value of spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues or possessing the
gift of prophecy or having faith to remove mountains. He boldly de-
clares that without love he is ineffective as a noisy gong; he is nothing;
he gains nothing.
The description of love that follows is sufficient to show the church
that this is the solution to their problem of strife, for love is long-
suffering and kind. It possesses all those characteristics that nullify
jealousy, arrogance, selfishness, irritability, and desire to repay evil for
evil. It has no pleasure in wrongdoing; it rejoices with the truth. Love
covers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all
things. This was the divine remedy for a church that was sick because
of it was torn by strife and jealousy over possession of miraculous
powers, disrupted by pride in their leaders, and discredited before the
community because of unchristian conduct.
The apostle then presents an explanation of the transitory nature
of prophecy, tongues, and knowledge in contrast to love that abides.
Three of the nine spiritual gifts are used as examples of the whole
group. These, although not complete in themselves, served to bring
about the completed revelation of God's will — the Bible. When the
completed revelation came and was confirmed by the accompanying
miraculous demonstration, the incomplete things were done away.
They are likened to the things of childhood that are put away by the
grown man. They were like seeing an imperfect reflection in a mirror
in contrast to the complete revelation in the Bible that is like seeing
face to face. They gave incomplete knowledge, but the completed
revelation enables one to know "all things that pertain to life and
godliness" with nothing more to be added, for God fully understands
245
I CORINTHIANS
the needs of His people and has completely revealed His will in the
Word.
As the church faced the fact that these things which were causing
strife and division among them were, after all, only transitory, they
were reminded that there are "things that abide." Faith, hope, and
love would abide long after the "spiritual gifts" had given way to the
completed revelation of God's Word. Therefore the apostle urged
them to "follow after love." ' ■ I
Questions »
1. How does Paul show the connection between this chapter and
what he had written in chapter twelve? -
2. How does he indicate that the thought of both chapters is com-,
pleted in chapter fourteen?
3. What is the first point that he makes in this chapter?
4. Why Was it necessary to begin at this point?
5. What is meant by tongues of men?
6. What is the purpose of language?
7. What is there to indicate that Paul is speaking about foreign lan-
guages in this section of the epistle?
8. What is a possible meaning of tongues of angels?
9. What suggestions does Paul give to help explain this phrase?
10. Why can we say that he was not referring to the gift of tongues
when he mentioned tongues of angels?
11. Why can we say that the pagan pretense at communication with
their gods was not the tongues of angels?
12. Where do we find the message that was delivered through the
apostles when they spoke in other tongues as the Spirit gave them
utterance? What is the content of that message?
13. Why was it unnecessary to translate that message?
14. What are the three conditional statements by which Paul argues
for the necessity of following the most excellent way of love?
15. What is the result of failing to be motivated by love in each of
the assumed situations?
16. What is the nature of love as Paul uses it in this chapter?
17. Give an example of Jesus' use of this same term and show how k
is possible to obey His command.
18. Why was it necessary to translate the message spoken in a tongue
in the church at Corinth?
19- What is faith to remove mountains?
20. Why do we say that it does not mean mountains of trouble?
246
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
21. How does it differ from the trust in the Lord that makes for a vic-
torious Christian life?
22. How would love in action which is longsuffering and kindness
put an end to the problem at Corinth?
23. How would love put an end to the sin of jealousy in the church
at Corinth?
24. Why did Paul say, "Love vaunteth not itself"?
25 • What is meant by "not puffed up"?
26. Of what unseemly conduct was the church at Corinth guilty?
27. How would the principle of love overcome this problem?
28. Why did they need love that is not provoked?
29. What is meant by "taketh not account of evil"?
30. In what way were they guilty of rejoicing over unrighteousness?
31. What is meant by "beareth all things"?
32. How was this to meet the problem at Corinth?
33. What is the difference between gullibility and love that "be-
lieveth all things"?
34. What was the situation of the unconverted Gentiles so far as hope
was concerned?
35 ■ What is the basis of Christian hope?
36. Why is love the way to defeat schism in the church?
37. Why did Paul say, "Love never fails"?
38. How does this statement introduce the thought of the transitory
nature of spiritual gifts?
39- In speaking of the transitory nature of spiritual gifts, why did
Paul mention only three?
40. In what sense were the gifts "in part"? .
41. What is meant by "that which is perfect"?
42. What does the word translated "perfect" mean when it refers to
things?
43. How had Paul used the same term to refer to persons?
44. How does Paul show that the possession of spiritual gifts is not
a mark of spiritual maturity, but something that belonged to the
childhood period of the church?
45. To what does Paul refer when he says "now we see in a mirror
darkly"?
46. What evidence is there to show that this is not a contrast between
time and eternity?
47. What was to take place that was like seeing face to face?
48. To what period did he refer when he said, "now I know in part"?
49. When was he to know fully?
247
I CORINTHIANS
50. Why did he speak of the three things that abide?
51. What is the meaning of "faith" in this context?
52. Why can it not be "faith to remove mountains"?
53. What is the basis of Christian hope?
54. Why did Paul say that the greatest of these is love?
For Discussion
1. What is to be said about division in the church today that pos-
sesses the completed revelation of God's will, the Bible?
2. What place should the "most excellent way" have in the work of
evangelizing the world?
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Analysis
A. Paul indicates that he is not discouraging the use of the gifts, but
that he is arguing for the necessity of correcting the misuse of the
gift of tongues (1-19).
1. In urging the church to follow after love, he says for them to
earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially prophecy (1-5).
a) Follow after love, the most excellent way explained in
chapter thirteen.
b) In doing so, earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially
prophecy.
c) He explains what is accomplished in speaking in tongues
without interpretation in contrast with what is accom-
plished for the church through prophecy (2-4).
( 1 ) He points out what is done by speaking in a tongue
(2).
( a ) One speaks not to men but to God.
(b) No one understands.
(c) In the Spirit he speaks mysteries.
(2) He points out what is done by prophecy (3).
(a) One speaks to men.
(b) He speaks for the edification, exhortation, and
consolation of the church.
( 3 ) He contrasts the effects of the two (4 ) .
(a) He that speaks in a tongue edifies himself.
(b) He that prophesies edifies the church.
(4) He tells why he would prefer to have them prophesy
(5).
(a) In so doing, he does not discourage the use of
248
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
tongues. He says, "I would have you all speak in
tongues."
(b) Through prophecy the church receives edification.
(c) Greater is he that prophesies than he that speaks
in a tongue except he interpret.
2. He presents a three-fold argument for the necessity of using the
spiritual gifts in such a manner that the church may receive
edification (6-12).
a) The first argument: His own use of the gift of tongues.
(1) He assumes that he may be speaking to them in
tongues.
(2) He asks the question: What profit would it be to the
church unless it is by way of revelation, or knowledge,
or prophesying, or teaching?
b) The second argument: Such instruments as the flute, harp,
and bugle must be so used as to be understood. Note:
Tongues had to be interpreted in order to edify the church.
c) The third argument: The tongue (the human organ of
speech) must be so used that what is spoken can be un-
derstood (10-11).
( 1 ) If what is spoken is not understood, it is like speak-
ing into the air.
(2) Languages (voices) of the world must be under-
stood; otherwise, it would be like speaking to a
foreigner.
d) Conclusion: He says, "Seek that ye may abound unto the
edification of the church" (12). Note: The argument that
follows is for the necessity of translation so that the
"tongue" may edify.
3- In giving instruction to the one using the gift of tongues, he
presents a three-fold argument for the necessity of translating
the message spoken in a foreign language ( 13-19) .
a) He instructs the one using a tongue to pray that he may
interpret ( translate ) (13).
b) First argument: He assumes a case in which he might be
praying in a tongue ( 14-15 ) .
(1) In this situation his spirit prays but his understand-
ing is not benefitted.
(2) He therefore determines to pray and sing with the
understanding (this implies the necessity of transla-
tion as indicated in verses 5 and 13 ) .
249
I CORINTHIANS
c) Second argument: He assumes a situation in which the
"unlearned" (the one without these gifts) is unable to
understand and say "Amen" ( 16-17 ) .
(1) In this situation one is giving thanks by using the
spiritual gifts.
(2) But if he doesn't know what is said, how can he say
"Amen"?
(3) The result is that he is not edified. (This implies the
necessity of translation) .
d) Third argument: Paul's own experience in using the gift
of tongues (18-19).
( 1 ) He thanks God that he speaks in tongues more than
all the Corinthians (18).
(2) He tells why he prefers to speak in the church with
his understanding, that is, he would rather speak five
words to instruct than ten thousand in a tongue ( 19 ) .
(Implies necessity of translation) .
B. In appealing to the church to use the spiritual gifts as they were
intended, Paul sets forth certain rules and regulations to be fol-
lowed (20-40).
L He appeals to them to use the gifts as they were intended
(20-25).
a) He indicates that this implies the necessity of taking a ma-
ture view of gifts ( 20 ) .
b) He indicates the purpose of the gift of tongues by refer-
ence to a statement of the law (21-22 ) .
(1) The statement of the law (Isa. 28:11-12).
(2) Tongues are a sign -for unbelievers; prophecy is for
(the instruction) of the believer.
c) His appeal for the proper use of the gifts (23-25).
(1) He assumes a situation in which "unlearned men"
(those without' the gifts) and unbelievers may enter
the assembly while all are speaking in foreign lan-
guages. The effect will be that they say, "Ye are
mad."
( 2 ) He assumes a similar situation when all are prophesy-
ing and points out the result since the unbeliever or
the one without gifts understood.
( a ) He is approved by all.
( b) He is judged by all.
(c) The secrets of his heart are made manifest.
250
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
( d) He will fall down and worship God.
( e ) He will declare that God is among you.
2. He presents rules and regulations for the church to follow
(26-40).
a) He gives general rules to be followed for the edification of
the church (26).
b) He gives specific rules for the use of tongues (27-28).
( 1 ) Two or three, and that in turn.
( 2 ) One to interpret.
(3) If no interpreter, keep silence. Speak to self and to
God (implying that the speaker and God understood
what was said) .
c) He gives rules for the prophets to follow (29-33 ) .
( 1 ) Only two or three to speak; others to discern.
(2) One at a time; prophets can control their use of the
gift.
( 3 ) God is not a God of confusion, but of peace.
d) He gives certain regulations for women to observe
(34-36).
( 1 ) This is the same in all the churches of the saints.
( 2 ) The women are to keep silence in the churches.
( 3 ) The law indicates that they are not to speak but to be
in subjection.
( 4 ) They are to ask their husbands at home.
( 5 ) It is a shame for a woman to speak in church.
(6) The apostle, implying that there were objections to
this instruction, asks: "Was it from you the word of
God went forth? Or did it come to you alone?"
e) He indicates that what he wrote is the commandment of
God; ignorance of the fact does not change it (37-38).
f) He gives a closing word of advice on the matter (39-40).
( 1 ) Desire earnestly to prophesy.
( 2 ) Do not forbid speaking in tongues.
( 3 ) Let all things be done decently and in order.
Text
14:1-19. Follow after love; yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but
rather that ye may prophesy. 2 For he that speaketh in a tongue
speaketh not unto men, but unto God; for no man understandeth;
but in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. 3 But he that prophesieth
speaketh unto men edification, and exhortation, and consolation. 4
He that speaketh in a tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesi-
251
14:1 I CORINTHIANS
eth edifieth the church. 5 Now I would have you all speak with
tongues, but rather that ye should prophesy: and greater is he that
prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret,
that the church may receive edifying. 6 But now, brethren, if I come
unto you speaking with torigueSj what shall I profit you, unless I speak
to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying,
or of teaching? 7 Even things without life, giving a voice, whether
pipe or harp, if they give not a distinction in the sounds, how shall it
be known what is piped or harped? 8 For if the trumpet give an un-
certain voice, who shall prepare, himself for war? 9 So also ye, unless
ye utter by the tongue speech easy to be understood, how shall it be
known what is spoken? for ye will be speaking into the air. 10 There
are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and no kind is
without signification. 11 If then I know not the meaning of the voice,
I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh will
be a barbarian unto me. 12 So also ye, since ye are zealous of spiritual
gifts, seek that ye may abound unto the edifying of the church. 13
Wherefore let him that speaketh in a tongue pray that he may inter-
pret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my under-
standing is unfruitful. 15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit,
and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the
spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. 1 6 Else if thou
bless with the spirit, how shall he that filleth the place of the un-
learned say the Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he knoweth not
what thou sayest? 17 For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other
is not edified. 18 I thank God, I speak with tongues more than you
all: 19 howbeit in the church I had rather speak five words with my
understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand
words in a tongue.
Commentary-
Misuse of the Gift of Tongues (1-19)
Follow after love. — Paul wrote First Corinthians to correct the dis-
orders in the church. One of the most serious of these was the misuse
of the gift of tongues. Jealousy over the possession and use of the
gift was causing faction and division in the body of Christ. To correct
this misuse of the gift, Paul showed the brethren a most excellent
way, the way of love; In chapter fourteen he discusses two more se-
rious misuses of the gift of tongues: (1) The unrestrained use of the
gift without considering the necessity of edifying the church. This
was to be corrected by properly using the gift of interpretation of
252
CHAPTER FOURTEEN 14:1
tongues, that is, by translating the message spoken in a foreign lan-
guage for the benefit of the whole church that all might be edified.
(2) All speaking in tongues when the church came together. This
resulted in such confusion that men who did not possess the gift or
unbelievers who might be present would say that they were mad. This
misuse of the gift was to be corrected by following the rules which
Paul gave so that all things might be done decently and in order.
yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts. — They were to pursue the course
that love points out and to seek eagerly the things that belong to
spirit. There would be no problem over these gifts if love governed
their use. The gracious consideration of others forbids the spirit of
jealousy that divides the body of Christ and prohibits the selfish use
of the Spirit-distributed gifts that overlooks the need of the whole
church for edification. These gifts were to be done away when they
had fulfilled their intended purpose; but while there was a need for
them in the church of the first century, they were to be desired and
used according to the principle of love and regulated by the rule
which the apostle gave for their use.
While Paul wrote to correct the misuse of the gift of tongues, he
did encourage its proper use as indicated by the following:
a) "Desire earnestly spiritual gifts" (verse 1). While prophecy was
to be preferred because of the need of the church for edification, the
gift of tongues was not prohibited.
b) "I would have you all speak in tongues" (verse 5). There is no
suggestion here that he was attempting to discourage the use of this
gift.
c) Since edification is the essential purpose of the gifts when used in
the church, Paul says, "Let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he
may interpret" (verse 13).
d) Paul thanked God that he used the gift of tongues more than all
of the others, but he said that he would rather speak five words to
instruct the church than ten thousand in a tongue. This clearly im-
plies that if the foreign language was used in the church it had to be
translated for the edification of those who did not understand. See
verse 19-
e) Tongues are a sign to the unbelieving (verse 22). That's why its
use in the church was prohibited unless the foreign language was
translated that the church might receive edification.
f) When they came together each one had, among other things, a
tongue or an interpretation. Paul says, "Let all things be done unto
edifying" (verse 26).
253
14:1,2 I CORINTHIANS
g) Paul gives rules for the correct use of tongues and other gifts
(verse 27).
h) "Desire earnestly to prophecy, and forbid not to speak with
tongues" (verse 39). If nothing else were said in the entire chapter
on the matter, this would be sufficient to prove that the assumption
that the apostle was trying to discourage the use of the gift by the.
church at Corinth is not valid.
i) In the, divine purpose of the gifts, they were to pass away when
the perfect revelation had come. Until that time, they were to be
used in accordance with the regulations given by Paul to prevent
their misuse.
but rather that ye may prophesy. — The emphasi$ on prophecy did not
forbid the use of the gift of tongues. Prophecy was speaking forth the
message of God under the direction of the Holy Spirit as well as pre-
dicting events to come. Peter uses the expression, "the word of proph-
ecy" to refer to the message proclaimed by the apostles (II Pet. 1:19).
Since the message of the prophet was spoken in the language of the
people for their edification, there was no need for translation. The
message spoken while using the gift of tongues could be made equal
to prophecy in edifying the church by translating the foreign language
in. which the message was spoken.
he that speaks in a tongue.— -The. gift of tongues which was distributed
by the Holy Spirit enabled one to speak in a foreign language without
previous knowledge or study. This was demonstrated on the Day of
Pentecost when all heard in their own native . tongue. It cannot be
claimed, therefore, that the apostles while in a state of ecstasy were
uttering unintelligible speech-like sounds. There is no indication that
Paul used the term "tongue" in chapter fourteen to mean anything
other than what it means in chapter twelve or in Acts two. Some
have assumed that the gift at Corinth was different since the message
had to be translated for the edification of the church. But tongues
were for a sign for unbelievers throughout the apostolic period while
the New Testament was being committed to writing. The unbeliever
could understand the message spoken in his own language, but it
could not edify the church unless it was translated. It is not possible
to "translate" unintelligible sounds into intelligible language; non-
sense cannot be "interpreted" so as to make sense.
Claims are made today that some perfectly sincere people who may
utter speech-like sounds while under emotional stress are speaking in
tongues. These persons, it is claimed, are speaking in a foreign lan-
254
CHAPTER FOURTEEN 14:2
guage; others may attempt to "interpret" what is being said. There
are several things that should be considered in an attempt to evaluate
this claim :
a) The Bible is the final, complete, and authoritative revelation from
God. The modern missionary to a foreign land must learn the lan-
guage before he can successfully work in the language of the people.
Some missionaries even claim to have the gift of the Spirit to over-
come the language barrier; nevertheless, they must patiently learn the
language just as anyone else. This, it seems, invalidates their claim to
be under the power of the Spirit of God.
b) The providence of God, which any faithful Christian can see by
looking back over the pathway of his life, is not to be mistaken for
direct guidance by the Spirit such as that enjoyed by the apostles. The
light for our pathway is the Bible. God's blessings do accompany the
one who walks in its light. See Eph. 1:7-10. The story of Joseph
illustrates this truth in a beautiful way (Gen. 45 : 1-5 ) . The light that
guided him during the long period of trial in Egypt came from the
moral instruction and knowledge about God which he received in his
father's home. Later, as he looked back over his life, he was able to
see the hand of God in the things that had happened to him.
c) The ability to speak in tongues was given to the apostles when
they were baptized in the Holy Spirit. They in turn were able to im-
part these gifts to others upon whom they laid their hands. No one
can claim to have contacted that source of transmission of the divine
power today.
d) There is no point in attempting to speak in a tongue since the
Bible must be translated into the languages of the world to be under-
stood by the peoples of the world. One of the greatest of the mis-
sionary efforts today is the translation of the Word of God into the
languages of the world that all may read the message of salvation
and hope in their own tongue.
e) Paul made it clear that the gifts were not to be used except "by
way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching." In
the light of this rule, one of two things is certain: Their attempted use
in the church today is wrong, or the Bible is not the completed revela-
tion of God's will.
f) "Speaking in tongues" today is often carried on in the churches
today in the absence of an interpreter. This is in violation of the regu-
lation laid down by Paul for the use of the gift at Corinth. It is
evident that the Holy Spirit would not lead one to do a thing today
that violates what He caused to be written in the Bible.
255
14:2-5 I CORINTHIANS
speaketh not unto men, but unto God. — The gift of tongues, it seems,
could be used by the one who possessed it to speak to God, although
its primaty purpose was to convince the unbeliever that God was
speaking to him through this means. The message could not benefit
those who did not understand it. Evidently men could use the gift in
speaking to God if they so desired, but in doing so they left the church
without edification unless they translated for the edification of the
church. This was to be done by the speaker himself or by some other
person who possessed the gift of interpretation. The one who used the
gift of tongues was to pray that he might interpret for the benefit of
those who heard him speak.
in the spirit he speaketh mysteries, — Some translators- have assumed
that the word "spirit" in this context refers to the human spirit as it
does in verse fourteen where Paul says, "My spirit prays." But the gift
of tongues was given by the Spirit of God. The one who used it was
speaking under the power of the Spirit; his spirit was directed by the
Holy Spirit. It seems better, therefore, to translate this verse, "in the
Spirit, that is the Holy Spirit, he speaks mysteries." RSV so translates.
The mystery that was spoken was that which would have forever
remained secret if God had not made it known through His Spirit to
the inspired apostles and prophets. See comment on 2 : 7. :
he that speaketh in a tongue edifieth himself. — This definitely implies
that he understood what he was saying under the power of the Holy
Spirit. If edification for the church required that a message spoken in
a foreign language be translated, it is evident that the edification of
the one using the gift of tongues required his understanding of what
he said in the tongue.
rather that ye should prophesy, r— By translating the message spoken
in a foreign language that was for the primary benefit of the un-
believing foreigner, the whole church might receive edification. If this
was like pagan jargon uttered in ecstasy, how could it be so translated
as to edify the church or anyone else?
greater is he that prophesieth.—See comment on 12:31. The prophet
was of greater assistance to the church than the one who spoke in a
tongue unless he translated the message spoken in a foreign language.
This was contrary to the view held by some of the Corinthians who
seemed to feel that the Lord had elevated those who had the gift of
tongues above their fellows. This spirit of arrogance was causing
strife and division in, the church. The reminder about the superior
value of prophecy should have had a wholesome effect on those who
256
CHAPTER FOURTEEN 14:6-12
were striving for power and position through the misuse of the gift of
tongues.
if I come to you speaking in tongues, — This is the first of three
arguments for the necessity of using the gift of tongues in such a
manner that the church might be edified. It plainly implies that the
message spoken in a foreign language had to be translated for the
benefit of the church. Paul indicated that it was necessary for him to
speak by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of
teaching in order to help the church. This he could not do unless the
church understood what he was saying; therefore, the message spoken
in a foreign language had to be translated to be of benefit to the
church.
pipe or harp. — The second argument implies the very same thing.
There must be a distinction of sounds made by pipe or harp for one
to know what was piped or what was played on the harp. Just so, the
message spoken in a tongue had to be translated for the church to
understand what was said. The use of the bugle illustrates the same
need. "If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare for
war?"
by the tongue, — This is the third argument in the series. While some
think of "the tongue" as the gift of tongues, the context seems to
indicate that it is the human tongue as the organ of speech. It cor-
responds to the other instruments that make sounds to communicate
intelligible messages such as the pipe, the harp, or the bugle. It was
necessary to use the human tongue, just as it was the lifeless instru-
ments, in such a manner that the message spoken could be understood.
To speak a foreign language that was not understood by anyone
present was to speak into the air. Therefore, the message spoken by
the gift of tongues (as it was uttered by the human tongue) had to
be translated in order that the church might understand and be helped
by it. Language has one purpose: to present a message that can be
easily understood. The Corinthians were misusing the gift of tongues
by failing to translate so that the church might receive edification.
I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian. — That is, a foreigner.
Paul is thinking of the one who speaks a foreign language and who
would be like a foreigner to him if he did not understand the lan-
guage that was spoken.
seek that ye may abound unto the edifying of the church. — This is
the conclusion of the first series of arguments. The gifts are not to be
used in the church for the private benefit of the one who possessed
257
14:12-16 I CORINTHIANS
them. But this was being done in the church at Corinth with the
result that the church was being divided over the gifts which were
intended to benefit all the church.
pray that he may interpret, — This begins the second series of argu-
ments for the necessity of interpreting the message spoken in a foreign
language. The first series proved the necessity of edifing the church
through using the gifts. It also implied the necessity of translating
messages spoken in foreign languages. The individual who used the
gift of tongues was to pray that he might also interpret. This would
indicate that the message was capable of being translated into the
language of the people.
// / pray in a tongue. — This is the first point in the three-fold argu-
ment for the necessity of translating the message spoken in a tongue
so that the church might understand. Paul says, "If I pray in a
foreign language my spirit prays." As an intelligent being he prays
under the control of the Holy Spirit. Since the gifts were distributed
the Spirit of God, we are to understand that the Holy Spirit exercised
control over the spirit — the person — of the one who was praying.
Paul assumes a situation in which one might speak without the mes-
sage being understood by the hearer. But the speaker himself would
also need to understand what he was saying under the control Of the
Holy Spirit or his understanding too would not be fruitful. Such
praying wouldn't help even the one who prayed. What was one to do
in such a situation? Paul answers his question: "I will pray with my
spirit (under the control of the Holy Spirit) and I -will also pray with
the understanding (by translating the foreign language). The same
applies to singing, for he was to sing under the control of the Holy
Spirit and to translate that he might understand. This shows that the
one who used the gift had to understand what he was saying just as
those who heard had to understand to be edified.
he that filleth the place of the unlearned. — This is the second argu-
ment for the necessity of translating the message spoken in a tongue.
By "unlearned" we are to understand that Paul meant the one who did
not possess the gift of tongues. See footnote in American Standard
Version. The word signifies one who did not belong to a class of
specialists. Peter and John were called "ignorant and unlearned men"
by their persecutors (Acts 4:13). They were not school men and they
were not priests, but it would be wrong to think of them as ignorant
in the sense in which we use the word. There were some in the church
at Corinth who did aot have the gifts. Paul was thinking of such peo-
258
CHAPTER FOURTEEN 14:16-19
pie in this case. What were they to do when they heard some one
speak in a foreign language? How could they say "Amen" if they did
not know what was said? It was necessary to translate that all might
understand. Some think of the "unlearned" as being outsiders — not
members of the church. The contrast is between those who did have
the gift of tongues and those who did not. It would seem, therefore,
that by "unlearned" Paul is speaking of the church members who did
not have the gift. The point of the argument is the same which ever
view of the word is taken.
the other is not edified. — The purpose of the gifts was to edify those
who heard. Even the gift of tongues that was primarily a sign for the
unbeliever was to be translated for the benefit of both the speaker and
the one who heard.
/ speak with tongues more than you all, — This is the third point in
the argument for the necessity of translation. Far from discouraging
the use of the gift, Paul says that he used it more than all. But he
placed a limitation on its use: it had to be translated if it was to be
used. That is why he says that he would rather speak five words in the
church that he might understand than ten thousand in a tongue
(foreign language) that no one understood. He argued for the neces-
sity of translating the message spoken in a foreign language. The
misuse of the gift of tongues was to be corrected by observing two
rules: Use them to edify the church and, in order to do this, translate
messages spoken in a foreign language.
Rules For Using Spiritual Gifts (20-40)
Text
14:20-40. Brethren, be not children in mind: yet in malice be ye
babes, but in mind be men. 21 In the law it is written, By men of
strange tongues and by the lips of strangers will I speak unto this
people; and not even thus will they hear me, saith the Lord. 22
Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to the
unbelieving: but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but
to them that believe. 23 If therefore the whole church be assembled
together and all speak with tongues, and there come in men unlearned
or unbelieving, will they not say that ye are mad? 24 But if all
prophesy, and there come in one unbelieving or unlearned, he is re-
proved by all, he is judged by all; 25 the secrets of his heart are made
manifest; and so he will fall down on his face and worship God, de-
claring that God is among you indeed.
259
14:20,21 I CORINTHIANS
26 What is it then, brethren? When ye come together, each one
hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a revelation, hath a tongue, hath
an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. 27 If any man
speaketh in a tongue, let it be by two, or at the most three, and that
in turn; ahd let one interpret: 28 but if there be no interpreter, let
him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to
God. 29 And let the prophets speak by two or three, and let the
others discern. 30 But if a revelation be made to another sitting by,
let the first keep silence. 31 For ye all can prophesy one by one, that
air may learn, and all may be exhorted; 32 and the spirits of the
prophets are subject to the prophets; 33 for God is not a God of
confusion, but of peace.
As in all the churches of the saints, 34 let the women keep silence
in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but let
them be in subjection, as also saith the law. 35 And if they would
learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home: for it is
shameful for a woman to speak in the church. 36 What? was it from
you that the word of God went forth? or came it unto you alone?
37 If any man thinketh himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let
him take knowledge of the things which I write unto you, that they
are the commandment of the Lord. 38 But if any man is ignorant,
let him be ignorant.
39 Wherefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and for-
bid not to speak with tongues. 40 But let all things be done decently
and in order.
Commentary
be not children in mind. — They were to take a mature view of the
purpose of the gifts. Gifts did belong to the childhood period of the
church as indicated in 13:11; they were not marks of spiritual ma-
turity. But more than this, some in the church were acting like chil-
dren in the possession of the gifts. As a result, there was jealousy
among brethren in the Lord. The possession of the gift was not a sign
of God's preference of one above the other, for God is not partial.
But it was well to be like babes in malice for babes have none, but in
mind Paul wanted them to be mature men.
By men of strange tongues, — That is, those who speak in foreign lan-
guages. This word defines "speaking in tongues" and justifies our
assumption that speaking in tongues was not some unintelligible
260
CHAPTER FOURTEEN 14:21-24
speech-like utterance, but rather that it was speaking in a foreign
language. In calling upon the Corinthians to take a mature view of
the gift of tongues, Paul reminds them that their primary purpose was
to be a sign for the unbeliever, while prophecy was for the edification
of the believer. He illustrated his point by a reference from the law (a
general term for Old Testament ) . See Isa. 2 8 : 1 1 - 1 2 .
According to the quotation from Isaiah, the prophet was answering
the quibbling of those who rejected the message of the prophet. They
said it was childish, precept upon precept, line upon line. The Lord
said that since they wouldn't listen to the prophet, they would have
to listen to foreigners and then they really wouldn't understand. Paul
uses this to show that tongues were not primarily for the church, for
they couldn't understand without having the message translated. But
just as in the time of the prophet when the stranger was to speak a
foreign language, so those who used the gift of tongues were to speak
a language capable of being translated for the edification of all.
Wherefore tongues are for a sign. — The gift of tongues was for a sign
to cause the unbeliever to see that God was speaking to him in his
own language through one who would not be expected to know his
native tongue. See Acts 2:11-13. Prophecy, on the other hand, was
for the edification of the believers. Prophecy was not "a sign" for the
believers. They needed no such sign since they were already believers.
These words, given in italics in the American Standard Version do
not occur in the Greek text and should not be inserted in the English
translation.
will they not say that ye are mad? — Paul assumes a situation in which
the whole church is assembled and all are speaking in tongues. Into
this assembly there came certain "unlearned" men or unbelievers.
They were two classes who did not understand what was being said
through the gift of tongues. The "unlearned" is the church member
who did not possess the ability to speak in tongues. See comment on
verse 16. Some have assumed that the unbeliever in this case was a
foreigner who could have understood the foreign language since Paul
had indicated that tongues were a sign for unbelievers. But it is a
mistake to assume that all unbelievers were foreigners, and in this
case it is evident that they were not, for they did not understand what
was being said and therefore joined with the "unlearned" in saying
that all were mad.
But if all prophesy. — Paul then assumed a similar situation in which
all were prophesying. In this case all understood and were edified.
The result was that all declared that God was among them.
261
14:26-34 i corinthians
Let all things be done unto edifying. — Whether one had a psalm, or a
teaching, or, a revelation, or a tongue, or an interpretation, his object
should be to edify the church. This was the first of the list of impor-
tant instructions given for the guidance of those who possessed sph>
itual gifts in Corinth,
If an man speaketh in a tongue. — Instead of all speaking at once with
the resulting confusion that would cause men to say, "You are mad,"
they were to use; common sense and Christian, courtesy and limit the
speakers to two or three and that in turn. One was to interpret, but if
no interpreter was present the one with the gift of tongues was to be
silent. He could, however, speak to God in private in the tongue;
let the prophets. ,-~-The same rule of common sense was to govern the
prophets. Others were to discern, that is, they could decide correctly
concerning what was heard. It may, however, refer to the gift of dis-
cerning of spirits ,( 12 : 10 ) . Courteous consideration for another who
might have a message for the group was to determine which one was
to speak. The gift was to be used that all might learn and be built up
in the Christian life.
the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. — The prophets
own spirits— that is, the prophets themselves— were used by the Holy
Spirit to deliver the revelation from God, but the prophet could
exercise self-control in the use of the gift. This is solid evidence that
they were not involved in some ecstatic experience in which it was
impossible to control their speaking. The reason for exercising such
control was clear: God is not a God of confusion, but of peace.
As in all the churches of the saints. ^-This refers to those who made
up the church. See comment on 1:2. Saints were those who had been
separated from a life of sin and who had dedicated themselves to the
service of the Lord There was no place among "saints" for jealousy
and discourtesy that led to the sin of strife and division. It would be
well to restore the use of this term in the church and live up to its
evident meaning.
let the women keep silence in the churches.— -This was to apply to all
the churches of the saints. See notes on 11:1-16 about the relation be-
tween man and woman while praying or prophesying in the church.
This, however, has to do with wives and their husbands. Several
things are indicated for their guidance: (1) Wives are to be in sub-
jection — have respect for their own husband (I Pet. 3:1-6). This is
not the subjection of a slave, but the giving of honor that is due the
husband who in turn is to love his wife (Gen. 1:16; Eph. 5:21-33).
262
CHAPTER FOURTEEN 14:34-39
(2 ) Let them ask their husbands at home. This implies the necessity
of the husband assuming his responsibility in the matter of Christian
teaching in the home. (3) This was to be observed because of the
culture of that day, for it was a shameful thing for a woman to speak
in the church. In our culture, it is not a shame for a woman to speak
in public provided she can do so and maintain her womanly dignity.
(4) The instruction seems to have involved the misuse of gifts. Just
what the problem was, we may not know, but the Corinthians did.
Paul gave the regulations to protect the church from the misuse of
the gifts. Perhaps some would disagree with him, but he reminded
them that the gospel did not originate with them nor did it come
to them alone.
the commandment of the Lord. — What was said by the inspired
apostle was the commandment of the Lord and it was to be obeyed
by His church. In all probability, there were some in Corinth who
were claiming that they were prophets or even apostles, but if such a
one disregarded this truth and failed to agree with what God said
through the inspired apostle Paul, he was not to be recognized as a
true leader of the church. Ignorance of this fact did not change the
matter; God's commandments for the church were delivered through
His apostle.
desire earnestly to prophesy, forbid not to speak with tongues. — As
the chapter began, so it closes: the gifts were for the benefit of the
church in the absence of the completed revelation of God's will and
were to be used to accomplish the task for which they were distributed
by the Holy Spirit. They were not to forbid the use of the gift of
tongues; it was to be used in accordance with its purpose and the rules
given to regulate its use. In this way, all things could be done decently
and in order.
Summary
Chapter fourteen concludes the three-chapter discussion of the sub-
ject of spiritual gifts. It is the longest of any of the discussions of
problems with which the apostle deals in the epistle except that of di-
vision. These two issues were related in that die misuse of the gift of
tongues was causing jealousy and strife in the church.
In attacking the problem, the apostle did not discourage the use of
the gifts, but argues for the necessity of correcting the misuse of them.
In the thirteenth chapter he had pointed out the most excellent way of
263
I CORINTHIANS
love that would correct the sin of jealousy over the possession of the
gift of tongues. In this chapter he presents two more corrective meas-
ures to overcome the misuse of the gift of tongues. The gifts were to
be used to edify the church, whether prophecy or tongues. The gift of
tongues was not to be used unless the message spoken in a foreign lan-
guage was translated so that all the church might receive edification.
Prophecy which required no interpretation was to be preferred in the
church. Tongues were primarily intended as a sign for the unbeliever.
Paul presents two series of arguments in support of these corrective
measures. Each series has three steps in it. The first series shows the
necessity of using the gifts to edify the church. Even Paul wouldn't
benefit the church by using the gift of tongues unless he translated so
that the church might be edified. Then he shows how such instruments
as the flute or harp must give understandable sounds if they : are to
benefit those who hear. Just so, the gift of speaking in foreign- lan-
guages had to be accompanied with the gift of interpretation (transla-
tion) to be of benefit to the church. His third argument indicated that
the human tongue must be used to speak a message that can, be under-
stood or the one speaking will be speaking into the air and those who
hear will be like foreigners to him. Therefore, he declares, "Seek that
ye may abound unto edification of the church."
In the second series, he argues for the necessity of translating the
message delivered in a foreign language. He assumes a case in which
he might be praying in a foreign language. Unless he understands
what he is saying, his spirit is praying under the control of the Holy
Spirit, but he is not benefitted. Therefore, he argues that the one
speaking in a tongue must translate in order for the gift to be used in
a profitable manner for the speaker and for those who hear. In his sec-
ond argument in this series, he thinks of those who may not have the
gifts — the unlearned — and who are not able to say "Amen" to what
is being said because they do not understand the language. Therefore,
it must be translated for the benefit of those who do not have the gift.
Then he adds a word about his own experience in using the gift of
tongues. He thanked God that he spoke in tongues more than all, but
adds, "in the church, I had rather speak five : words with my under-
standing, that I might instruct others, than ten thousand words in a
tongue." The message simply had to be translated to make it profitable
for the whole church.
With this basic issue established, Paul proceeded to present certain
rules and regulations to govern the use of gifts. They were to be used
264
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
in accord with God's purpose. The church was to take a mature view
of them instead of the childish attitude they had allowed to govern
their thinking. The gifts were not a mark of maturity; they belonged
to the childhood period of the church, but they were not to be allowed
to become a source of jealousy and strife in the church. Christian cour-
tesy toward others was to regulate their use. If all spoke at once and
no one understood, the "unlearned" and the unbeliever would say that
they were mad. But if the rules were observed, all would know that
God was in their midst. For this reason they were to limit those who
spoke to two or three, and these were to speak in turn; others were to
listen and be benefitted by the message. No one was to speak in
tongues unless there was one present to translate. Paul plainly pointed
out that the prophets could control themselves in the use of these gifts.
He reminded them that God is not a God of confusion, but of peace.
A difficult problem is presented in his reference to women who
were to keep silence in the church. This was the rule in all the
churches of the saints. There was, in all probability, some trouble that
had arisen in connection with the misuse of the gift of tongues. Wives
were to have proper consideration for their own husbands who were
to assume the responsibility — not authority — for teaching at home.
Respect for each other in public and at home was necessary then and
now. It is a shame for a wife or a husband to be discourteous to each
other at home or in the church. What Paul wrote was the command-
ment of the Lord.
He closed the chapter with this exhortation, "Desire earnestly to
prophesy," and adds, "forbid not to speak in tongues." These gifts had
a place in the early church, and when their purpose was fulfilled they
were done away. Now we have the whole revelation of the Lord in the
Bible. Let us follow Paul's closing word also by doing all things de-
cently and in order.
Questions
1. What are the two principal phases of the subject of spiritual gifts
which are discussed in this chapter?
2. How is the discussion of this chapter related to what is said in the
two preceding chapters?
3. In what way is the subject of spiritual gifts related to the discus-
sion of division?
265
I CORINTHIANS
4. What are the three major abuses of the subject of tongues which
Paul discussed in this section?
5. "What corrective measure does he suggest for each?
6. What evidence is there that Paul was not discouraging the use of
the gift of tongues?
7. What was the essential purpose of the gifts when used in the
church?
8. Why did Paul indicate that the church should desire prophecy
above the gift of tongues?
9. What did he recommend in order to make tongues of equal value
to the church?
10. What was speaking in tongues?
11. How does the gift which was used in the church at Corinth com-
pare with the gift as used on Pentecost?
12. In the light of Paul's teaching on the subject of spiritual gifts,
what differences are evident between the gift of tongues and the
present day utterance of speech-like sounds under emotional
stress?
13. What is the difference between the guidance which the. Holy
Spirit gave the apostles and the providence of God which the faith-
ful Christian can observe by looking back over his experiences?
14. How was the ability to speak in a foreign language distributed by
the Holy Spirit?
15. How is the modern missionary forced to meet the language
barrier?
16. How was it possible for the one who used the gift of tongues to
speak to God and not to men?
17. What is meant by speaking mysteries? By whom was it done?
18. How was it possible for one who spoke in a tongue to edify
himself?
19. Why, then, was not the church also edified?
20. Why was the one who prophesied greater?
21. What bearing does this have on the problem of jealousy over the
gifts?
22. What is the issue in each of the, two series of arguments for the
correct use of tongues?
23. What are the three arguments in the first series?
24. What are the three arguments in the second series?
25. In verse nine, what is meant by "the tongue"?
26. What is meant by "barbarian"?
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CHAPTER FOURTEEN
27. Why would the use of the gift of tongues cause one to be like a
foreigner?
28. What did Paul mean by the expression, "my spirit prays"?
29. What is meant by "unlearned"?
30. What is Paul's point about saying "Amen"?
31. Why did Paul thank God that he spoke in tongues more than
all?
32. Why, then, the comparison about five words with understanding
and ten thousand words in a tongue?
33. What did Paul mean by the remark, "Be not children in mind"?
34. How explain the quotation from Isaiah about men of strange
tongues?
35. How does this show what was done by speaking in tongues?
36. To what did Paul refer by "law"?
37. What was the primary purpose of the gift of tongues?
38. What was the purpose of prophecy?
39. Why should we delete the italicized words, "is for a sign" in the
English text?
40. What is the difference between "unlearned" and "unbeliever"?
41. Why would they say, "Ye are mad"?
42. Why would the same ones say, "God is in the midst of you"?
43. What rules were to be observed in determining who was to speak
in the church?
44. What proof is there that the prophets could exercise self-control
in using the gift of prophecy?
45. What bearing does this have on some instances of supposed
speaking in tongues today?
46. What is meant by "churches of the saints"?
47. Why did Paul use it in this connection?
48. Why did he say, "let the women keep silence in the churches"?
49. What responsibility of the husband is implied by the apostle's in-
struction for the wife to ask her husband at home?
50. Why did he say that what he was saying was the commandment
of the Lord?
For Discussion
1. What should our attitude be toward the Bible as the guide-book
to heaven?
2. Have you found anything lacking in it?
3. Do you know of instances where attempts to speak in tongues
have caused division in a local church?
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CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Analysis ,
As Paul comes to the resurrection, the last of .the problems to be
discussed in the epistle, he makes known to the brethren the gos-
pel which he preached to them (15: 1-11) >
1. He points out the relation of the Corinthians to this gospel
(1-2).
, a) They had received the gospel which he preached.
b) They were standing in this gospel..
c) They were being saved by it.
(1) The process of salvation was going on.
(2) Paul indicates that their being saved depended on
holding fast by means of the word which he preached.
(3 ) This was true, unless they had believed in vain — some
were saying there was no resurrection.
2. He points out the basic issues of the gospel he preached ( 3-4) .
a) He delivered to them as a matter of first importance that
which he also received.
b ) He indicated what these basic issues were :
(1) That Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures. ,
(2) That He was buried.
(3) ; That He has been raised on the third day according
to the Scriptures.
3. He lists the appearances of Christ in proof of His resurrection
(5-8).
a) He appeared to Cephas.
b) Then to the twelve.
c) He appeared to above five hundred brethren at once.
d) Then He appeared to James.
e) Then to all the apostles.
f ) Last of all, as to the child untimely born, He appeared to
Paul.
4. He gives an explanation of his apostleship which was based on
Christ's appearance to him (8-11).
a) His last appearance was to Paul, "the child untimely born."
b) He was unworthy to be called an apostle because he perse-
cuted the church: "I am the least of the apostles."
268
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
c) He shows how God's grace worked through him.
( 1 ) He said, "By the grace of God I am what I am."
( 2 ) God's bestowed grace was not found vain.
( a ) He labored more abundantly than they all.
(b) But this was God's grace working through him.
d) The other apostles and Paul preached this same gospel and
the Corinthians believed it
B. Paul explains the bearing of Christ's resurrection on the subject of
the resurrection of the dead ( 12-34 ) .
1. He bases his first argument on the assumption of the Corinthi-
ans that there is no such thing as a resurrection of the dead
(12-19).
a) Question: If Christ is preached that He has been raised
from the dead — as Paul had just shown — how could some
of them say that there was no resurrection of the dead?
b) Consequence of denying the resurrection: If there is no
resurrection of the dead, Christ has not been raised.
c) Result of denying that Christ has been raised (14-19).
( 1 ) The preaching of the apostles is vain.
( 2 ) The faith of the brethren is vain.
(3) The apostles are found to be false witnesses of God.
(4) The faith of the brethren is vain and they are still in
their sins.
(5 ) Those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
(6) The apostles, who have only hoped in Christ in this
life, are of all men most pitiable.
2. He bases his second argument on the fact of Christ's resurrec-
tion from the dead (20-23).
a) Christ has been raised as firstfruits of them that are dead
(20-23).
( 1 ) The argument of "firstfruits."
(2 ) The source of death and resurrection:
( a ) Death came by Adam.
( b ) Resurrection came by Christ.
(3) The order in which this occurs: Christ as the first-
fruits, then those who are Christ's at His coming.
b) He shows what will occur at the end when Christ comes
(24-28).
( 1 ) The kingdom to be delivered to the Father.
(2 ) All enemies, including death, to be conquered.
( 3 ) The Son to be subject to the Father.
269
I CORINTHIANS
3. He bases his third argument on the relation of baptism to the
resurrection (29-34).
a) Why be baptized if there isno resurrection (29-30) ?
b) Why should Paul risk his life daily if there is no resurrec-
tion (31-32)?
c ) A word that should move them to shame (33-34).
Paul answers some problems involved in the doctrine of the resur-
rection of the dead ( 35 -58 ) .
1. A two-fold question: How are the dead raised, and what kind
of a body will they have (35-50)?
a) Paul answers the questions by a series of illustrations that
help to understand the problems ( 35-41 ) .
( 1 ) A seed dies that a new plant might grow from it.
(2) Each kind of seed produces an appropriate plant as
Gddpleased.
(3) There are various kinds of flesh, that of men, animals,
birds, fish. This implies that the resurrection body
will be suited to the resurrection state.
(4) Celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies — sun, moon,
and stars — differ in glory. This implies that the resur-
rection body will have a glory suited to the heavenly
state
2. An explanation of the resurrection of the dead (42-50).
a) Burial and resurrection are likened to sowing: perish-
able and imperishable; dishonor and glory; physical and
spiritual.
b) Argument for a spiritual body: If there is a physical body,
there is a spiritual one.
(1) Shown by comparison of Adam and Christ.
(2) As we have borne the image of the man of dust, we
shall bear the image of the man of heaven-
c) Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; per-
ishable cannot inherit imperishable. What then?
3. The secret revealed (51-57).
a) A change will take place.
b) When the last trumpet sounds the dead will be raised and
all will be changed.
c) This will mean victory over death through our Lord Jesus
Christ.
4. An exhortation to be steadfast since the resurrection will prove
that the Christian's work is not in vain in the Lord (58).
270
CHAPTER FIFTEEN 15:1
The Gospel Which Paul Preached (1-11)
Text
15:1-11. Now I make known unto you, brethren, the gospel which
1 preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand,
2 by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached
unto you, except ye believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first
of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins accord-
ing to the scriptures; 4 and that he was buried; and that he hath been
raised on the third day according to the scriptures; 5 and that he ap-
peared to Cephas; then to the twelve; 6 then he appeared to above
five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until
now, but some are fallen asleep; 7 then he appeared to James; then
to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as to the child untimely born, he
appeared to me also. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not
meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was
bestowed upon me was not found vain; but I labored more abundantly
than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11
Whether then it be I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
Commentary
Now I make known unto you, brethren. — Paul comes to the last of
the long list of problems that had so seriously disturbed the brethren
at Corinth. The problem of the resurrection was in all probability the
most serious of all for it questioned the basic issue of the gospel which
Paul preached. To deny that there is a resurrection of the body is to
deny that Christ has been raised.
the gospel which I preached unto you. — That gospel was the word of
the cross, the message that saved the believer. Paul determined to
know nothing among them but Christ and Him crucified. He had re-
minded them in the beginning of the epistle of his confidence that
they would stand unreprovable in the presence of the Lord in the day
of his coming. This, of course, implied resurrection. At the very begin-
ning of the discussion of their problem, then, he emphasized the facts
of the gospel, the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. To deny the
resurrection was to deny the facts of the gospel Paul preached.
271
15:1-3 I CORINTHIANS
which also ye received. — They had accepted these facts when they be-
came Christians. To reject them now was to reject the foundation of
their faith and hope of salvation. They had taken their stand for Christ
because of the gospel that proclaimed Him as the risen Savior.
if ye hold fast. — Paul reminded them that that salvation depended on
their holding fast and that this was to be done by means of the word
which he preached to them. By denying the resurrection they were
rejecting the means of holding fast their hope of salvation. Paul em-
phatically stresses what he had preached: the death, burial and resur-
rection of Christ.
except ye believed in vain.— Was it possible that they had accepted
the gospel without carefully considering its very basic issue, the resur-
rection of Christ? There is a warning implied in these words: they
were in grave danger because of the position that some had taken on
the subject of the resurrection. The one thing above all others that
Christians are required to believe is that God raised Christ from the
dead. See Rom. 10:9-10. Of course, as Paul argues later, if there is no
resurrection, Christ has not been raised and faith is without basis or
meaning.
that which also I received. — Paul preached the message to the Corin-
thians which he had accepted when he became a Christian. When he
saw the risen Lord on the way to Damascus he gave up his role as
persecutor and surrendered to Christ. From that day on, his faith did
not waver. As a matter of primary importance, he had delivered this
message to them, and they had accepted it. To deny the resurrection
was to call in question the Scriptures and the testimony of Paul and
all the others who had seen the risen Lord.
Christ died for our sins. — Christ's death concerned our sins. He shed
His blood to make expiation for our sins (Rom. 3:25). John called
Him the Lamb of God that takes away our sins (John 1:29).
according to the scriptures. — The death, burial and resurrection of
Christ was pointed out in the Old Testament. The passover lamb and
the other blood offerings looked forward to His death (Heb. 9:11-
14). The fifty-third chapter of Isaiah was about His death (Acts
8:30-35). On Pentecost, Peter quotes the Psalms to prove the resur-
rection of Christ (Acts 2:25-31). Jesus referred to the experience of
Jonah to explain the fact that the Son of man was to be in the heart
of the earth three days and three nights (Matt. 12:39-40). To deny
the resurrection was to set aside the Old Testament scriptures.
272
CHAPTER FIFTEEN 15:5-8
and that he appeared, — The proof of the resurrection depends on the
testimony of those who saw Him, touched Him, and heard Him speak
to them after His death and resurrection. There was a sufficient num-
ber of witnesses and the appearances occurred over a long enough
period of time for them to be sure that He was alive and that He will
come again for those who wait for Him unto salvation (Heb. 9:21).
Each of the four gospels gives detailed information about the ap-
pearances oi Christ that established the fact of His resurrection. Paul
refers to some of them and also to the fact that he had seen the risen
Lord (9:1).
to Cephas. — Paul used Peter's Aramaic name (John 1:41-42). Both
Mark and Luke mention the appearance to Peter (Mark 16:7 and
Luke 24:34).
then to the twelve. — This is the general name for the group of apos-
tles, but it does not indicate that all of the group were present. Not
more than eleven and perhaps only ten were present, depending on
whether or not Thomas was among them. Judas had gone to "his own
place" (Acts 1:25); Matthias was not yet numbered with them.
then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, — This was
strong evidence that could still be verified for most of them were yet
alive. The fact that so many saw Him at one time makes it difficult to
reject their testimony. Those who denied the resurrection of the dead
were not careful in weighing such evidence.
then he appeared to James, — Though Paul does not identify him,
James was in all probability the Lord's brother. This aga ; n is very
strong evidence of the resurrection. The brothers of Jesus did not be-
lieve in Him until after the resurrection which forced them to ac-
knowledge Him as Lord (John 7:5; Acts 1:14; James 1:1).
then to all of the apostles, — Thomas was absent on one occasion of
Jesus' appearance to the apostles (John 20:19-23). At another time
he was with them when Jesus came into their midst. He examined the
evidence that satisfied him that Jesus was his Lord and his God (John
20:24-28).
and last of all, he appeared to me also. — The Corinthians had heard
the gospel from Paul. To deny what he said about the resurrection of
Christ was to deny the foundation of their hope in Christ. The ap-
pearance of Jesus to Paul was of such importance that it is recorded
three times in the book of Acts — in chapters nine, twenty-two, and
twenty-six. Before king Agrippa, Paul quoted the words of Jesus tell-
ing why He appeared to Paul: "To this end have I appeared unto
273
15:8,9 I CORINTHIANS
thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things
wherein thou hast seen me, and of the things wherein I will appear
unto thee; delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles,
unto whom I send thee, to open their eyes, that they may turn from
darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they
may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are
sanctified by faith in me" (Acts 26:16-18). All this was lost to the
Corinthians who were denying the resurrection, for if there is no resur-
rection, Christ has not been raised.
child untimely born.— -This expression which literally means an un-
timely birth or miscarriage is used by Paul figuratively as a term of
contempt. It apparently has nothing to do with the fact that he was
the last to be appointed as an apostle of Christ. "Untimely birth"
would suggest the opposite, "Dead fetus" more correctly fits the con-
text. See Lenski, Interpretation of First Corinthians, p. 638. But who
Would call him stillborn? It well might have been his former Jewish
companions who had, no doubt, looked to him as the one who, one
day, was to take the 1 place of their great teacher, Gamaliel at whose
feet Saul of Tarsus had been instructed. On the way to Damascus,
their hope suddenly died when Saul acknowledged Jesus as Lord and
accepted the responsibility of Christ's apostle to the Gentiles. It was
not an unusual thing for Jews to look upon a Jewish convert to Chris-
tianity as dead.
It seems unlikely that "untimely born" could refer to the sudden
and, as some suggest, violent experience of his conversion and appoint-
ment to the apostleship. Others suggest that Paul may be expressing
his own feeling toward his former life of persecuting the church of
God.
the least of the apostles. — Paul was the last to whom Christ appeared.
This fact is balanced with the statement that he — in his own opinion
— is the least of the apostles because he had persecuted the church pf
God. He never got away from the memory of his activity as a perse-
cutor. But in spite of it, God's grace was extended to him in calling
him to the work of an apostle. It was not overcompensation for the
life of a persecutor but love for Christ that caused him to labor more
abundantly than all the apostles (II Cor. 5:14).
That this estimate of hi? apostleship is his own may be seen by the
approval he received from Peter and John. See Gal. 2:1-10.
274
CHAPTER FIFTEEN 15:10,11
the grace of God which was in me. — This is the word of a truly hum-
ble Christian. He takes no credit for the great effort he had put forth
for the cause of Christ; it was God's grace — God gave him the oppor-
tunity to be an apostle — that had accomplished it all. But all the apos-
tles preached the same message, and it was that message that caused
the Corinthians to believe. This was the important thing, not who did
the preaching.
The Resurrection of the Dead (12-34)
Text
15:12-34. Now if Christ is preached that he hath been raised
from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection
of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither
hath Christ been raised: 14 and if Christ hath not been raised, then
is our preaching vain, your faith also is vain. 15 Yea, and we are
found false witnesses of God; because we witnessed of God that he
raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead are
not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, neither hath Christ been
raised: 17 and if Christ hath not been raised, your faith is vain; ye are
yet in your sins. 18 Then they also that are fallen asleep in Christ have
perished. 19 If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all
men most pitiable.
20 But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of
them that are asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by man came
also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in
Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ
the firstfruits; then they that are Christ's, at his coming. 24 Then
cometh the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even
the Father; when he shall have abolished all rule and all authority
and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all his enemies un-
der his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be abolished is death. 27 For,
He put all things in subjection under his feet. But when he saith, All
things are put in subjection, it is evident that he is excepted who did
subject all things unto him. 28 And when all things have been sub-
jected unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subjected to him
that did subject all things unto him, that God may be all in all.
29 Else what shall they do that are baptized for the dead? If the
dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them? 30
why do we also stand in jeopardy every hour? 31 I protest by that
275
15:12,13 ,1 CORINTHIANS
glorying in you, brethren, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I
die daily. 32 If after the manner of men I fought with beasts at
Ephesus, what doth it profit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat
and drink, for tomorrow we die. 33 Be not deceived: Evil companion-
ships corrupt good morals. 34 Awake to soberness righteously, and sin
not; for some have no knowledge of God: I speak this to move you to
shame.
Commentary
How say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? —
The glaring inconsistency of the Corinthians was too much for the
.logical mind of the apostle Paul! He had preached Christ crucified
and raised from the dead. He had accepted this basic proposition of
:Ghristianity on his way to Damascus. The Corinthians had accepted it
when they became Christians. How could they deny it now? Greek
philosophers had long held the view that escape from the body at
death, was the goal of life, the escape from slavery. The resurrection
of the body was foreign to their thinking. But the Corinthians had be-
lieved the evidence of Christ's resurrection as Paul preached it. Were
they carelessly slipping back into their former views of the matter or
had they just failed to really think through to the logical conclusion
of Paul's proposition? "Except ye believed in vain" seems to suggest
the latter.
The Sadducees said that there is no resurrection, but it is doubtful
that their influence had reached to the Corinthians; See Acts 23:8 and
Matt. 22:23-33.
// there is no resurrection of the dead, neither hath Christ been raised.
—There is no escaping Paul's logic; but were the Corinthians pre-
pared to accept the consequences of denying the resurrection of
Christ? That meant that the glorious gospel of salvation and hope
was without foundation in fact, and there was no basis for their faith.
More than that, the apostles were found to be false witnesses of God,
saying that He raised Christ from the dead, which, if there is no resur-
rection, is. not true. To put it another way,; if dead people are not
raised, neither has Christ been raised (1.6). That means that your
faith is without foundation and you are still in your sins. Were they
willing to accept the consequences of denying the gospel which Paul
preached? The thought — -Christ is not raised — was completely unac-
276
CHAPTER FIFTEEN 15:14-21
ceptable to Paul, for he had seen the risen Lord on the Damascus
road. Repetition at this point in the argument shows how important
this issue was in establishing the fact of the resurrection of the dead.
If the Corinthians were right and the apostles were wrong, then those
who died believing in Christ had perished.
we are of all men most pitiable. — This is the last in the list of tragic
results of denying that Christ has been raised. What is the antecedent
of "we"? Is Paul saying that Christians, assuming there is no resurrec-
tion, are more pitiable than others? Are not Christians in this life
blessed beyond others? They have, if they are willing to accept it, the
"peace that passeth understanding" to guard their hearts and thoughts
in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:6-7). They may not, in some cases, have as
much in material possession as some others, but they know that life
does not consist in the abundance of things which man possesses
(Luke 12:15).
It is possible that Paul is speaking of the apostles. But why would
they be more pitiable than all if there is no resurrection? The answer
may be found in Paul's own words in 4:9-13- The apostles were men
doomed to die; they were a spectacle to the world and to angels. They
were fools for Christ's sake; they were weak; they were held in disre-
pute. They suffered hunger and thirst; they were poorly clad; they
were buffeted and without homes; they labored with their hands
rather than being supported with the dignity accorded other teachers.
They were reviled, persecuted, and slandered; they became the refuse
of the world, the offscouring of all things.
All this, they suffered because they believed that God had raised
Christ from the dead, and they looked in hope to the coming of the
Lord.
the firstfruits of them that are asleep. — The fact of Christ's resurrec-
tion guarantees the resurrection of the dead. In Old Testament times
the first portion of the harvest was given to the Lord as an indication
that all the harvest was in reality His. Whatever firstfruits was the
rest was. Christ who died was raised from the dead; His resurrection
was like "firstfruits" in that all the dead must be raised.
For since by man came death. — Physical death is the penalty for the
transgression of God's law in the Garden by Adam. The resurrection
which cancels the penalty of death comes through man also, that is,
Christ, for as in Adam all die, all shall be made alive in Christ. What
happens after the resurrection is another matter. Jesus said, "Marvel
not at this: for the hour cometh, in which all that are in the tombs
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15:23-29 I CORINTHIANS
shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of
life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment"
(John 5:28-29).
they that are Christ's at his coming.— -For Paul's own comment, see I
Thess.4:13-18.
deliver up the kingdom of God. — Those who have accepted the; rule
of Christ by faith and obedience to His gospel and have remained
faithful to Him until death are. all to be presented to the Father in the
"eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (II Pet. 1:11).
The apostle was anticipating this when he wrote in the beginning of
the epistle that they were to wait "for the revelation of our Lord Jesus
Christ; who shall confirm you unto the end, that ye may be unreprdv-
able in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1:7-8). In that eternal
kingdom there will be the throne of God and of the Lamb (Rev.
22:1).
For he must reign.— Vat angel promised that He was to reign on the
throne of His father David (Lk. 1:32). The writer of Hebrews, de-
clares that, when He had made purification for sins He assumed the
seat of authority as King at the right hand of the Majesty on high
(Heb. 1:3). Peter declared that the promise to David was fulfilled
when Christ arose and ascended to the right hand of the Father, "for
David ascended not into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord
said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine ene-
mies the footstool of thy feet" (Acts 2:29-35). Now Paul declares
that the last enemy to be abolished is death. In it all, the Son is sub-
ject to God. ,
Else what shall they do who are baptized for the dead? — The problem
in this text is: What is meant by "for" the dead? It cannot mean that
Christians were getting themselves baptized on behalf "of some friend
or relative who had died without being baptized into Christ. Although
such a thing was done much later, there is no good evidence that it
was being done in the time of the apostles. Paul wrote this epistle to
correct errors that had crept into the thinking and conduct of the
church. It is strange that he would not label this an error if the Co-
rinthians were actually practicing vicarious baptism. Baptism was a
personal act for the one who believed and repented of his sins (Mk.
16:15-16; Acts 2:38). One might go through a form of immersion
and pretend that it was for some dead friend, but that one could in no
way fulfill the requirements of faith and repentance for another.
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CHAPTER FIFTEEN 15:29-32
The preposition which is translated "for" in this verse is also trans-
lated "for" in verse three where it evidently means "concerning" or
"because of." In Rom. 9:27 it is translated "concerning" and in John
1:30 "of." John the Baptist had spoken about Jesus who he said was
the Lamb of God. The basic meaning of the preposition is "over" and
its resultant meaning is "concerning" or "with reference to." There are
other meanings also, but our problem is to determine which fits the
context, being careful not to read into obscure passages such as this
one meanings that are contrary to what is taught on the subject of
baptism in the plain passages.
This text suggests that there was something in the act of baptism
that had to do with the resurrection of the dead, for baptism is both a
burial and a resurrection (Rom. 6:4). But if there is no resurrection,
it is meaningless to go through a burial and a resurrection in the act of
being baptized into Christ. Some object that this is reading too much
into the text, but the whole chapter concerns the resurrection of the
dead, and in the next verse Paul asks, "If the dead are not raised at all,
why then are they baptized for them?" If there is no resurrection, bap-
tism as to form and purpose is meaningless.
Some think that the verse means baptism for the purpose of pleas-
ing some friend or relative who had died. While such a motive would
not necessarily invalidate one's baptism, it is not likely that the lan-
guage of the text has this meaning.
why do we stand in jeopardy every hour? — Why should Paul and oth-
ers face the constant danger of losing their lives if there is no resurrec-
tion? The act of baptism suggests that there is a resurrection; but if
there isn't, there is no point in suffering needlessly in this life. Why
suffer here if there is no hope of life beyond the grave where there will
be no pain nor death nor suffering? Paul said, "I die daily," but it was
a needless risk if there is no resurrection.
I fought with beasts at Ephesus. — This is another reference to the
jeopardy which he faced. There was no point to it if there is no resur-
rection. Some assume that the fighting with wild beasts is to be re-
garded as figurative for the struggle he had with the vicious men who
opposed him at Ephesus. It is true that men can be like wild beasts
when they decided to destroy someone who disturbs their conscience.
There is no record in Acts of any literal battle with beasts in which
Paul was engaged. But this does not prove that he didn't have such an
experience. It is argued also that since he was a Roman he could not
have been subjected to such treatment, but authorities didn't always
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15:33,34 i Corinthians
ask about such issues. See Acts 16:37. But whether he did or did not
face teal beasts, his life was in real danger and there was no point to
it if there is no such thing as a resurrection from the dead. Therefore
he says, "If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow
we die."
Evil companionships. —The Corinthians were being deceived by asso-
ciates who did not hold the truth of the gospel. Paul urges them to
wake up and stop being deceived by those who have no knowledge of
God. Intelligent people should be ashamed of being deceived when
the facts of the gospel had been so clearly presented to them with the
evidence that definitely established the resurrection of Christ.
Answer to Problems of The Resurrection (35-58)
Text
15:35-58. But some one will say, How are the dead raised? and
with what manner of body do they come? 36 Thou foolish one, that
which thou thyself sowest is not quickened except it die: 37 and that
which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be, but a bare
grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other kind; 38 but God giv-
eth it a body even as it pleased him, and to each seed a body of its
own. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one flesh of men,
and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of
fishes. 40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but
the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is an-
other. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the
moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from an-
other star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is
sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43 it is sown in dis-
honor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in
power: 44 it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If
there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So also it is
written, The first man Adam became a living soul. The last Adam be-
came a life-giving spirit. 46 Howbeit that is hot first which is spiritual,
but that which is natural; then that which is spritual. 47 The first man
is of the earth, earthy: the second man is of heaven. 48 As is the
earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such
are they also that are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image
of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
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CHAPTER FIFTEEN 15:35-42
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the
kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 5 1 Be-
hold, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not sleep, but we shall all be
changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last
trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised in-
corruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put
on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But
when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal
shall have on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is
written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy
victory? O death, where is thy sting? 56 The sting of death is sin; and
the power of sin is the law: 57 but thanks be to God, who giveth us
the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Wherefore, my beloved
brethren, be ye stedfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of
the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not vain in the
Lord.
Commentary
But some will say. — The apostle is ready now to answer the objec-
tions of the critics. Perhaps many were sincere in their inability to see
how there could be such a thing as the resurrection of the body which
disintegrates in death. The Sadducees in Jesus's day objected on a dif-
ferent ground and were told that they were ignorant of the Scriptures
and did not know the power of God (Matt. 22:29). The Corinthians
wanted to know how the dead are raised and with what kind of body?
Paul answers both questions by a simple reference to the fact that the
seed that is sown dies that the new plant may spring from it. God
gives each kind of seed the kind of new plant that pleases Him.
God will equip the saint with the kind of body that pleases Him. Paul
says that it will be fashioned anew to conform to the glorious body of
Christ (Phil. 3:21 ). John says that we shall be like Him for we shall
see Him as He is ( I John 3:2).
So also is the resurrection.— -Paul argues from the facts that all flesh is
not the same kind, and that there are both celestial and terrestrial
bodies, and that one star differs in glory from another, and that the
resurrection body will be different. He then explains that difference:
It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption. Dishonor is bal-
ance with glory; weakness with power; natural body with spiritual,
281
15:44-58 i Corinthians
If there is a natural body. — If there is a body for this life, there is a
body for the heavenly life. See Paul's comment in II Cor. 4:16-5:10.
The first -man Adam ...The last Adam.- — All of us have a physical
body that is subject to death because we are descendants of the first
man Adam. The saints will have a heavenly body because they belong
to the last Adam who as a spiritual being gives life to those who be-
lieve inHim. See John4:24; 5:21; 6:57-63.
flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. — That kingdom is
spiritual, difficult though this is for us to grasp. The body which God
gives us in which to glorify Him in this life must be changed into the
likeness of the glorious body of Christ in order that we might continue
to glorify Him in heaven. Paul is now ready to tell this secret.
We all shall not sleep. — Enoch and Elijah did not see death (Heb.
11:5; II Ki. 2:1). When Christ comes again there will be those who
wiH be taken up to meet Him in the air along with those who will be
raised from the dead (I Thes. 4: 13-18) .
but we shall all be changed. — This is the secret that some apparently
did not know; all who are to be with the risen Lord in heaven are to
be changed when the dead shall be raised incorruptible. Then Death
is swallowed up in victory.
thanks be to Go^.—Paul who had seen the risen Lord looked to this
time of triumph through Him with thanksgiving to God.
your labor is not vain in the Lord. — This triumphant note of hope
called for steadfastness on the part of the brethren whom Paul loved.
He urged them to stand firm in this conviction and abound always in
the work of the Lord. The hope of the resurrection was enough for
them to know that their labor was not vain in the Lord.
Summary
This great chapter concerns the resurrection. Paul has now reached
the climax of this remarkable epistle covering so many of the prob-
lems that the church faced in Corinth.
It may be that it was most urgent for him to answer the problems
of division and dereliction reported by those of the house of Chloe,
but it was most important for the saints that he answer their questions
about the resurrection which lay at the foundation of their faith and
hope. It is true that they needed to know the answers to the questions
that puzzled them about marriage, idolatry, and worship; but the an-
swer to the questions about the resurrection was even more necessary
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CHAPTER FIFTEEN
because it had to do with their eternal hope in Christ and the goal
toward which all Christians were striving. It was necessary that he
show them die most excellent way of love that they might correct the
misuse of spiritual gitts, but it was also necessary that he reassure
them of the foundation of the Christian life by logical proof that there
is a resurrection from the dead.
At the beginning of the chapter, Paul reminds the Corinthians
about the facts of the gospel which he preached to them. That gospel
was based on the well established facts of the death, burial, and resur-
rection of Christ. Paul had accepted the fact of the resurrection of
Christ when he surrendered to the Lord on the Damascus road.
Nothing could shake his conviction on this issue for he had heard
the voice of the Lord when He appointed him to be an apostle to the
Gentiles. The Corinthians had accepted the fact of Christ's resurrec-
tion when they became Christians, but because some were saying that
there is no such thing as a resurrection of the dead, they were in need
of reassurance on this great issue.
The resurrection of Christ was according to the Scriptures and it
was supported by the testimony of those who saw Him after He was
raised from the dead. Cephas, James, the five hundred, and Paul testi-
fied that Christ had been raised. There was no reason for the brethren
to doubt it.
It was by God's grace that Paul had been able to labor more than
all the apostles in proclaiming this fact to the Gentiles. Because he
was dealing with the Greek mind that was trained in logic, he pre-
sented a series of arguments that was designed to reestablish their be-
lief in the resurrection of the dead. He had presented evidence to
prove to them again that Christ had been raised. But, he said, if there
is no resurrection, then Christ has not been raised. To put it in an-
other form, if dead people are not raised, then Christ has not been
raised. Were they ready to accept the consequences of their unbelief?
If Christ has not been raised, their faith was without meaning; they
were still in their sins; those who had died believing in Christ had per-
ished; and the apostles who were like men doomed to death were a
most pitiable spectacle before angels and the world.
Paul took his stand on the evidence that could not be denied that
Christ has been raised from the dead. He showed what this meant to
the Christian because Christ's resurrection was similar to the firstfruits
of the Old Testament harvest. As in Adam all die, in Christ all shall
be made alive. Christ must reign until He conquers every enemy, the
283
I COSINTHMNJ-
last of which is death. Then He will present the redeemed in triumph
to the Father to whom He also is subject for God is all in all.
He reminded them of their baptism which is a burial and a resurrec-
tion. Why go through such an experience if there is no resurrection?
Why live in jeopardy daily as Paul had done at Ephesus? Why riot
say, "Eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."? It was time for them to
think soberly and to break with those who were repudiating the very
foundation of faith and hope.
Paul answered two questions that puzzled the people. They prob-
ably came from their background of training in Greek philosophy.
They had been led to believe that to escape from the body in death
was the goal of life. They wanted to know how it was possible for the
body that disintegrates in death to be raised, and what kind of body
they were to have in the resurrection. Paul gave them a simple yet ad-
equate answer. The seed that falls into the ground dies and from it
comes a new plant. God gives it a new "body" as it pleases Him. The
resurrection body will be different, but it will be what God pleases to
make it. As there is a difference in flesh, and celestial bodies, and in
the glory of the stars so there will be a difference between the earthly
and the heavenly body. The heavenly body will not be subject to the
problems of the earthly body. We derive our earthly body from
Adam; our spiritual body is from Christ, the. last Adam. The cor-
ruptible body will be replaced by the incorruptible body. Paul is now
ready to tell them the secret.
Not all shall die, for some will be alive when Christ comes; but all
shall be changed in the moment when the trumpet sounds and the
dead are raised incorruptible. Then Death will be swallowed up in vic-
tory! Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ.
To this triumphant note of hope, Paul adds his affectionate appeal
for the brethren to remain unmovable in the work of the Lord for now
they know that their labors are not in vain.
Questions
1. Why did Paul begin the discussion of the resurrection of the dead
by referring to the gospel which he had preached?
2. What are the facts of the gospel which. Paul preached?
3. Why did he remind them that he had accepted the fact of the
resurrection? "
4. Why remind them that they also had accepted it?
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CHAPTER FIFTEEN
5. Why did he add, "if ye hold fast"?
6. By what were they to hold fast?
7. What did he mean by "believed in vain"?
8. Why did Christ die?
9. In what Scriptures do we find the facts of the death and resurrec-
tion of Christ?
10. What evidence is presented in the New Testament to prove the
fact of the resurrection of Christ?
11. What is the significance of the fact that five hundred saw Him at
one time?
12. Why did Paul mention Cephas as a witness of the resurrection?
13- In what sense is "the twelve" used here?
14. What is the value of the testimony of James?
15. What is the value of the testimony of Thomas who was present
when Christ appeared to all the apostles?
16. Why did Paul mention the fact that Christ appeared to him last
of all?
17. How is the importance of this fact indicated in the book of Acts?
18. What does the expression, "child untimely born," mean?
19. Who may have applied it to Paul? Why?
20. Why did Paul call himself the least of the apostles?
21. To what did Paul attribute the fact that he had labored more than
all the apostles?
22. What glaring inconsistency did Paul see in the thinking of the
Corinthians?
23. What were some of the consequences of denying that Christ had
been raised?
24. To whom does the expression, "of all men most pitiable," refer?
25. What is the meaning of "firstfruits"?
26. What did Paul imply as to the resurrection by this term?
27. Why does Paul say that death came by man?
28. What will Christ do for all men in the resurrection?
29- Does this imply universal salvation?
30. What did Jesus say about the resurrection of the good and the
bad?
31. How does Paul describe the resurrection in First Thessalonians?
32. What is meant by the statement that Christ will deliver the king-
dom to God?
33. When did the reign of Christ begin?
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I CORINTHIANS,,
34. In the expression, "baptized for the dead," what are some of the
possible meanings of the preposition translated "for"?
35. What are the arguments against the assumption that this is vi-
carious baptism?
36. What bearing does baptism have on the doctrine of the
resurrection?
37. What rule of interpretation must be observed in treating obscure
passages?
38. What are the views on Paul's remark about fighting beasts at
Ephesus?
39. Why did Paul shame the people at Corinth?
40. What are the two questions which the Corinthians asked about
the resurrection?
41. What was the view of the Sadducees on the resurrection?
42. What was taught in Greek philosophy about escape from the
body?
43. What is the Christian view about absence from the body?
44. How did Paul show that the resurrection body must be different
from the earthly body?
45. What will the resurrection body be like?
46. Why is Jesus called the last Adam?
47. Why can't flesh and blood inherit the kingdom of God?
48. What will happen to those who are alive when Christ comes?
49. Why does Paul stress the fact that all shall be changed?
50. What did Paul ask the brethren to do in view of this assurance of
the resurrection?
For Discussion
1. Would it be worthwhile to be a Christian if there were no hope
of the resurrection?
2. What place should the doctrine of the resurrection have in the
thinking of Christian people.
3. Should we leave the subject of the resurrection to Easter Sunday?
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CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Analysis
A. Paul gives orders about the collection for the saints and tells about
his plans to visit the church at Corinth ( 1-9 ) ■
1. He gives orders for the collection for the saints (l-2a).
a) The order is the same as he gave to the churches in Galatia.
b) They were to set aside the offering on the first day of every
week.
c ) Each one was to have a part in it.
d) Each one was to do as he might prosper.
2. The reason for this procedure was to avoid gathering the offer-
ing when Paul came ( 2b ) .
3. He reminded them of some things to be taken care of when he
came (3-4).
a) Those who would be approved by the church were to be
sent with letters to carry the offering to Jerusalem.
b) If it should become fitting for Paul to go also, the brethren
would go with him.
4. He tells of his plans to visit Corinth ( 5 -9 ) .
a) He planned to come after he had passed through Mace-
donia (5).
b) He wanted to stay at Corinth through the winter and be
helped on his way by them (6-7).
( 1 ) His plan to stay with them.
(2 ) He didn't want to make a brief visit.
( 3 ) He hoped to stay a while if the Lord would permit.
c) He was to remain at Ephesus until Pentecost (8-9).
( 1 ) A great and effectual door was open for him there.
( 2 ) Many adversaries were there too.
B. Paul gives information about the plans and work of other workers
of the Lord (10-18).
1. He gives instruction about the visit of Timothy and Apollos
(10-12).
a) The church is told how to receive Timothy (10-11).
( 1 ) He is to be with them without fear.
( 2 ) He does the work of the Lord just as Paul does.
(3) He is to be sent on his journey in peace.
(4) Paul was expecting him with the brethren.
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I CORINTHIANS
b) He tells of his desire to have Apollos visit them ( 12 ) .
( 1 ) He calls him Apollos the brother.
(2) He had urged him to visit Corinth with the brethren.
(3) It was not the will of Apollos to do so at that time
but he would do so when he had opportunity.
2. Paul gives direction for the guidance of the church (13).
a) "Watch ye."
b) "Stand fast in the Lord."
c) "Quit you like men."
d) "Let all that ye do be done in the Lord."
3. Paul exhorts them concerning Stephanas (15-18).
a) He reminds them that they know- the house of Stephanas.
(1) They were the firstfruits of Achaia,
(2) They had set themselves to minister to the saints.
b) He urges them to be in subjection to such and to all who
help in the work.
c) He tells of his joy at the coming of Stephanas and For-
tunatus and Achaicus.
( 1 ) His rejoicing.
( 2 ) The cause: they supplied what was lacking on the
part of the Corinthians.
(3) They refreshed Paul's spirit and that of the
Corinthians.
(4) He asks that they be acknowledged.
Paul writes the closing words of the epistle of the Corinthians
(19-24).
1. Salutations.
a) The churches of Asia send their greetings.
b) Aquila and Prisca together with the church in their house
send greetings in the Lord.
c) All the brethren send their greetings.
d) Paul asks them to greet one another with a holy kiss.
e) Paul writes his greeting with his own hand.
2. A solemn warning: If any man does not love the Lord, let
him be anathema.
3. A prayer of hope: Our Lord, come.
4. A gracious benediction: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be
with you.
5. An affectionate last word: My love be with you all in Christ
Jesus. Amen.
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CHAPTER SIXTEEN 16:1
The Collection for the Saints (1-9)
Text
16:1-9. Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I gave or-
der to the churches of Galatia, so also do ye. 2 Upon the first day of
the week let each one of you lay by him in store, as he may prosper,
that no collections be made when I come. 3 And when I arrive, whom-
soever ye shall approve, them will I send with letters to carry your
bounty unto Jerusalem: 4 and if it be meet for me to go also, they
shall go with me. 5 But I will come unto you, when I shall have
passed through Macedonia; for I pass through Macedonia; 6 but with
you it may be that I shall abide, or even winter, that ye may set me
forward on my journey whithersoever I go. 7 For I do not wish to see
you now by the way; for I hope to tarry a while with you, if the Lord
permit. 8 But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost; 9 for a great
door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.
Commentary
Now concerning the collection. — The familiar "now concerning" does
not introduce some problem that was disrupting the life and harmony
of the church. It suggests Paul's concern for the people he knew and
loved. He had a lasting concern for the saints in Judea. Before his
conversion he had persecuted them and had tried to make havoc of the
church of God (Gal. 1:13, 23). Some time after his conversion when
Agabus came to Antioch and predicted a famine over all the world,
"the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send
relief unto the brethren that dwelt in Judea; which also they did, send-
ing it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul" (Acts 11:27-
30). Still later when Paul was in conference in Jerusalem with Cephas
and John and James, he was asked to remember the poor in Judea.
This, he said, he was very eager to do ( Gal. 2:1-10).
Although Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles, he never forgot his
own Jewish people (Rom. 9:1-3), but he seemed to be particularly
concerned about those from the Jews who had turned to Christ as he
had done. In all his labors among the Gentile converts to Christianity,
he urged that the suffering saints in Judea be remembered and that
offerings be sent for their relief. See II Cor. 8:1-9:15.
As I gave order. — The apostle did not hesitate to lay down regula-
tions to be followed by the church in fulfilling their obligations to
others. He had already reminded them that what he was writing was
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16:1-5 I CORINTHIANS
the commandment of the Lord (14:37). He had given the same or-
ders to the churches in Galatia.
upon the first day of the week. — The expression clearly indicates the
first day of every week. Each one was to participate in the collection.
He was to set aside an amount which he was to determine on the
basis of his being prospered.
no collections be made when I come. — Some take this to mean that
the members of the church were to put their weekly offerings into a
common treasury. Paul's concern was that the money be ready when
he came. In order to have it so, it was necessary for the brethren to
begin early and set it aside on every first day of the week. Each one
could have brought what he saved when Paul arrived. It would be
difficult to say just how they did it. The important thing was to save
regularly for the offering so that it would be ready when Paul
arrived. He did not want to spend time waiting for them to get it to-
gether after he came. Most people will find it easier to save some-
thing each week than to get a large sum ready at one time.
whomsoever ye shall approve. — Paul was careful about handling
funds that belonged to others. The people were to approve the ones
to take the offering to Jerusalem. He was willing to go along if it
should be the thing to do, but he was not giving his critics an oppor-
tunity to condemn him in the handling of the collection. A good ex-
ample for all who handle church funds!
them will I send -with letters. — Those who were to be appointed by
the church to perform this task were to have letters of commendation
from Paul to the brethren in Jerusalem. This is further evidence of
his concern that everything be done in a manner that was above criti-
cism. The Lord's people were giving the money for the suffering
saints of the Lord and the Lord's servants were taking every precau-
tion to have it done for His glory.
But 1 will come unto you. — Paul planned for the future. Sometimes
he was hindered in carrying out his plans. He had already written of
his intention to visit them in connection with other matters (4:18-
21). He looked forward to the visit with joy and hope that the prob-
lems would be taken care of and that the collections would be made
by the time he arrived. His trip was to take him through Macedonia,
but he planned to stay through the winter at Corinth.
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CHAPTER SIXTEEN 16:6-9
that ye may set me forward. — It is not likely that he had in mind any
financial support (9:15). Luke records the facts of the farewell which
the Ephesian elders gave Paul at Miletus (Acts 20:36-38). Something
like it may have been in his mind as he wrote this word to the breth-
ren at Corinth.
if the Lord permit. — Paul was always conscious of the Lord's hand in
all of his plans and journeys. See also James 4:15.
a great and effectual door. — Paul was at Ephesus when he wrote the
epistle. He planned to stay there until Pentecost. This does not sug-
gest that he was planning to keep the feast there but rather that he
was aware of the great door of opportunity before him to do an ef-
fective work for the Lord.
Ephesus was the third great radiating center of early Christianity.
Jerusalem was the first; Antioch was the second. All Asia heard the
gospel as a result of Paul's work at Ephesus (Acts 19:9-10). The
apostles did not neglect the rural areas, but they concentrated their ef-
forts on the great centers of population from Jerusalem to Rome.
there are many adversaries. — This was another reason for remaining
at Ephesus. Paul was not one to run because of opposition. He was
confident that the Lord would always lead him in triumph in Christ
in every place as he proclaimed the gospel (II Cor. 2:14-17). He
was eager to preach the gospel in Rome also, for it is the power of
God (Rom. 1:16).
Workers in the Work of the Lord (10-18)
Text
16:10-18. Now if Timothy come, see that he be with you without
fear; for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do: 11 let no man
therefore despise him. But set him forward on his journey in peace,
that he may come unto me: for I expect him with the brethren. 12
But as touching Apollos the brother, I besought him much to come
unto you with the brethren: and it was not at all his will to come
now; but he will come when he shall have opportunity.
13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
14 Let all that ye do be done in love.
15 Now I beseech you, brethren (ye know the house of Stephanas,
that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have set themselves
to minister unto the saints) , 16 that ye also be in subjection unto such,
and to every one that helpeth in the work and laboreth. 17 And I re-
291
16:10-15 I CORINTHIANS
joice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for
that which was lacking on your part they supplied. 18 For they re-
freshed my spirit and yours: acknowledge ye therefore them that are
such.
Commentary
Timothy. — Paul had mentioned him earlier in the epistle (4:17).
Now he gives directions for their reception of his fellow-worker. He
was a young man when Paul selected him to travel with him. It may
be because of his youth that Paul said, "see that he be with you with-
out fear." Or it may be that Timothy was timid. Whatever the cause,
they knew his value to Paul who declared that "he worketh the work
of the Lord, as I also do." The attitude of Paul as an older minister
toward Timothy as a young evangelist is one that should be seen far
more often today than it is.
The brethren were to help Timothy as he continued on his way.
Just what was involved is not stated.
Apollo ^.— He had been prominent in the work at Corinth. See" 1:10
and 3:4-6. Paul looked Upon him as a brother in Christ and a fellbw-
worker for the Lord. His affectionate concern for those who worked
with him is one of the marks of Paul's true greatness.
It is interesting to note that Paul did not order Apollos to go to
Corinth. He had urged him to go but recognized his right to decide
when it was best for him to do so. Paul was sure that the opportunity
would come.
Watch ye, — Certain things were to direct the church as they faced the
opportunities of service and the problems that were involved. Like
good soldiers, they were to be alert. Like true followers of the Christ,
they were to "stand fast in the faith" and not be frightened from the
truth by any adversary. Like dedicated servants of the Lord, they were
to conduct themselves as men. Like citizens of the heavenly kingdom,
they were to be strong and rely on Him who had conquered at Cal-
vary and who would give them the victory in all their work for Him.
Paul said, "■Let all that ye do be done in love." He had already ex-
plained just what that meant (13:1-13).
the house of Stephanas. — They were among the first of Paul's con-
verts at Corinth (1:16), He calls them "firstfruits" because they were
the first of the harvest for the Lord. There were to be others like them.
292
CHAPTER SIXTEEN 16:15-19
When Paul was at Corinth the first time, the Lord had revealed to
him that He had "much people in the city" (Acts 18:9-10). This
family had set themselves to the task of ministering to the saints. Just
what was involved in this ministry is not stated, but it was such that
Paul recommended that others align themselves with these servants
of the Lord and all others who helped in the work.
the coming of Stephanas ' and Fortunatus and Achaicus.— Paul re-
ceived these brethren from Corinth with great joy. There were times
when it had become necessary to reprove the Corinthians for sinful
practices. Even then he admonished them as beloved children (4:14).
It was not possible for the whole church to pay him a visit, but his
spirit and theirs was refreshed by the coming of these who represented
all the brethren at Corinth.
Paul's Closing Words (19-24)
Text
16:19-24. The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Prisca sa-
lute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. 20
All the brethren salute you. Salute one another with a holy kiss.
21 The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand. 22 If any man
loveth not the Lord, let him be anathema. Marana tha. 23 The grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 24 My love be with you all in
Christ Jesus. Amen.
Commentary
The churches of Asia. — Paul had opened the epistle with a reference
to the saints who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in
every place (1:2). In sending greetings from Ephesus and the
churches of the other cities of Asia, Paul was showing the brethren
at Corinth something of the meaning of fellowship in the churches
of the saints. Corinth was not alone; what he taught them, he had
taught in all the churches (11:16; 14:33).
Aquila and Prisca. — This is the couple with whom Paul labored when
he first came to Corinth (Acts 18:1-4). They sailed with him when
he left Corinth and came to Ephesus where Paul left them (Acts
18:18-19). They were responsible for having "expounded the way
of God more accurately" to Apollos (Acts 18:26). It is fitting that
293
16:19-24 i corinthians
he should include their greeting to the church at Corinth. When he
wrote to the church at Rome, he sent his own greetings to them for
they had moved back to that city. He called them his fellow-workers
in Christ Jesus and mentioned the fact that they had laid down their
own neck for his life (Rom. 16:3-4) .
the church that is in their house. — This phrase is in the Roman letter
also (Rom. 16:5). It gives some insight into the effort of this faithful
couple to promote the gospel wherever they lived. In the absence of
church buildings, the church gathered in their house. The church did
not always meet in homes. Paul started his preaching in many cities
in the synagogues of the Jews. At Ephesus, he "separated the disciples
and reasoned daily in the school of Tyrannus" (Acts 19:9-10). The
place of meeting seems to have been a matter of expediency; the
church was the temple of God where the Spirit of God dwelt (3:16-
17).
Salute one another with a holy kiss. — This was the custom of Paul's
day. Our culture suggests the handshake. The principle of friendly
greeting between Christians is that which matters. Only such as deny
the teaching of Christ are to be denied this greeting (II John 9-10).
The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand. — This the mark of
genuineness in Paul's epistles. See II Thes. 3:17; Gal. 6:11.
// any man love not the Lord.— We cannot be shre that he had in
mind any specific individual. This is a general warning similar to the
one in the Galatian letter (Gal. 1:8-9). He had already warned them
about "evil companionships" (15:33). Anathema means accursed or
devoted to destruction. Paul was careful not to lend approval to the
enemies of the Lord. See5:ll; 6:9-10; Phil. 3:17-19.
Maranatha. — This Aramaic word must have been something like a
watchword to the early Christian. Paul did not translate it for the
Corinthians. This shows they knew what it meant: "Our Lord Come!"
How much have we lost by letting this word drop from our vocabu-
lary? It is like the prayer of John at the close of Revelation: "Come,
Lord Jesus" ( Rev. 22 : 20 ) .
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. — 'The epistle closes as
it began with a prayer for God's unmerited favor to be with His
people.
My love be with you all in Christ Jesus.— -This affectionate, personal,
Christian word was to assure the church to whom he had written in
serious words about problems that beset them that the apostle loved
all his brethren in the Lord. Amen.
294
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Summary
Paul had been deeply concerned over the problems that had con-
fronted the church at Corinth. He had written to them as the inspired
apostle of Christ to give authoritative directives for the correction of
the sinful practices that had been allowed to develop in the church.
He had advised them as one who was worthy to be trusted. He had
admonished them as a father would have done. It is in the closing
chapter of the epistle, however, that we get a deeper insight into his
personal feeling for all the brethren at Corinth as well as his fellow-
workers elsewhere.
His concern for the suffering saints in Judea comes first in the brief
statement about matters that lie close to his heart. He had already
given instruction to the churches in Galatia about the collection for
the saints. He had sent his colaborers to tell the Macedonians to be
ready to help those in need. He was depending also on the Corinthians
to prove their love for the brethren in Judea.
He asked each one to have a part in this effort. Each one was to set
aside an amount on the first day of every week as he might prosper.
This was to avoid gathering up the funds after Paul arrived.
Paul was careful in handling the funds of the Lord. The brethren
were to appoint those who were to carry their "bounty" to Jerusalem.
Paul would send letters of introduction to the brethren in Jerusalem,
or, if it seemed best, he would have the brethren travel with him.
He was planning to come to Corinth after going through Mace-
donia, where he would encourage the brethren to help in the offerings.
He hoped to spend the winter at Corinth, if the Lord permitted. He
was planning to remain in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a great door
of opportunity to further the cause of the gospel was open to him and
there were many adversaries.
Perhaps in no place are we to see the respect, admiration and love
which Paul had for his fellow-workers in the Lord than in his remarks
about Timothy, the young man who had been his traveling companion
in so many places and who was soon to come to Corinth on a mission
for him. He was eager to have the brethren receive Timothy in a man-
ner that would allow him to be with them "without fear." No one
was to "despise" him. They were to help him on his journey which
would bring him back to Paul.
Paul had been urging Apollos to make the trip to Corinth, but he
was not ready to do so. But as soon as he had opportunity he would
visit them.
295
I CORINTHIANS
Suddenly, it seems, there flashed upon the mind of Paul the vision
of the church at Corinth going forth as an army to fight "the good
fight of the faith." He could see them ready to press the battle to vic-
tory. He issues orders for the battle: "Watch ye." "Stand fast in the
faith." "Quit you like men." "Be strong." But this is no ordinary fight
and he adds, "Let all that ye do be done in love."
He called their attention to the house of Stephanas as an example
for them to follow. It is important to line up with the right kind of
people. These were among the first converts at Corinth. They had set
for themselves the goal of serving the saints. The visit of Stephanas,
Fortunatus, and Achaicus had refreshed him. He was confident that
the whole church had been blessed in sending these to see him.
It was time to close the epistle. Greetings from the churches in
Asia and from Aquila and Prisca and the church in their house are
written. All the brethren are sending greetings. Then he adds, "Greet
one another with a holy kiss."
Now he is signing the letter as he sends his own greetings. But once
again he is reminded of those who had caused so much trouble in the
church and he hastily writes, "If any man love not the Lord, let him
be anathema."
The mention of the love of the Lord may have prompted him to
add this watchword of the early church, "Maranatha" — Our Lord,
come. Then he added, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with
you." Still he could not close the letter without this last word, "My
love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen."
Questions
1. How does the subject matter of this chapter, introduced by the
familiar "now concerning," differ from that of the other chapters
introduced by the same phrase?
2. What was Paul's attitude toward the churches in Judea before his
conversion?
3. How did he feel about his Jewish brethren after he became a
Christian?
4. Why was he concerned for the saints in Judea?
5. How did he propose to help them?
6. What churches besides Corinth were asked to have a part in the
matter?
296
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
7. What rules did Paul lay down to govern the brethren in getting
the money ready by the time he arrived?
8. What precautions did he take to avoid criticism in handling the
funds?
9. Who was to select the one to carry the money to Jerusalem?
10. How was Paul to cooperate in the matter?
1 1. What were his plans for the journey to Corinth?
12. Why was he going to go through Macedonia?
13. How long did he plan to stay at Corinth?
14. How were they to help him on his journey?
1 5 . Upon what condition did he make his plans?
16. Did he carry them out as planned?
17. Where was he when he wrote First Corinthians?
18. Why did he plan to stay at Ephesus until Pentecost?
19- What did he mean by the great and effectual door that was
opened to him?
20. What was his attitude toward the adversaries at Ephesus?
21. Why did he mention Timothy and Apollos?
22. What was his estimate of the person and work of Timothy?
23. When did he expect Timothy to reach him?
24. Why didn't Paul as an apostle order Apollos to go to Corinth?
25. What was Apollos' view of Paul's suggestion?
26. What caused Paul to say, "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith"?
27. Why did he add that they were to do all things in love?
28. What did the Corinthians know about the house of Stephanas?
29- Why did Paul say that they were the firstfruits of Achaia?
30. What goal had they set for themselves?
31. What was to be the attitude of the church toward such people?
32. What was Paul's attitude toward die coming of Stephanas and
Fortunatus and Achaicus?
33. What was lacking that they supplied?
34. How had they refreshed the spirit of Paul and of the church?
35. Why did Paul send the greetings of the churches of Asia to the
church at Corinth?
36. What was the connection of Aquila and Prisca with the church at
Corinth?
37. How did they happen to be at Ephesus?
38. Where were they when last mentioned in Paul's letters?
39- What is to be said of the church in their house?
40. What is known of the buildings in which Paul preached?
297
I CORINTHIANS
41. Why did he say to greet one another with a holy kiss?
42. What is to be said of the -importance of friendly, Christian greet-
ings today?
43. From what one is this greeting to be withheld?
44. Why did Paul write his own greeting with his own hand?
45. How account for the sudden recollection of those who do riot love
the Lord?
46. What does "Maranatha" mean?
47. Why didn't Paul translate the term?
48. How could the church today make use of the meaning of this
term in its conversation?
49. With what thought did Paul begin and close the epistle?
50. Why did he close the letter with an expression of his love?
For Discussion ( ■' "
1. In the light of what Paul says in this chapter, how can the church
avoid developing a spirit of selfishness?
2. Recall those whom you know whose examples could be followed
by all the church.
3. What can be done today to further the cause of brotherly kind-
ness and love in the churches? -
298
STUDIES IN
SECOND CORINTHIANS
BIBLE STUDY TEXTBOOK
STUDIES IN
SECOND CORINTHIANS
T. R. Applebury
Professor of New Testament
Pacific Christian College
Long Beach, California
College Press, Joplin, Missouri
Copyright © College Press 1966, A88341
Reprinted 1971
Reprinted 1977
All rights reserved; including rights of reproduction
and use in any form or by any means, including the
making of copies by any photo process, or by electronic
or mechanical device, printed or written or oral, or
recording for sound or visual reproduction or for use in
any knowledge or retrieval system or device, unless
permission in writing is obtained from the copyright
proprietors.
Manufacturedih the United States of America
PREFACE
In these studies in the Corinthian letters and the Gospel of Luke, I
have given particular attention to the Scriptural emphasis on the
great doctrinal issues of the revealed Word of God. I have endeavored
to bring other passages of Scripture to bear on these issues because
the Bible is its own best commentary. I have written out the shorter
quotations in full. I have cited many other references with the hope
that those who use the studies may take the time to examine all the
Scriptures that are given and also search for additional ones that may
bear on the subject being studied.
A wealth of doctrinal material is to be found in Paul's second
letter to the Corinthians as well as in the whole Bible which was
written "for our admonition." This is true whether it be the carefully
investigated truth about Our Lord which Luke has given in his gospel,
or the teaching about the church which Paul presents in First
Corinthians, or doctrinal issues such as the covenants, the atonement,
heaven and other issues presented in Second Corinthians.
The charts are given to enable the student to see the whole epistle
or some particular section of it at a glance. They are the road maps
to guide anyone following the path of Paul's thoughts that range
from sorrow to triumph, from expressions of great love to warnings
of great danger.
The outlines constitute a paraphrase of the text in outline form.
The comments are intended to explain the meaning of words, phrases,
and other problems of interpretation. They have been prepared from
a careful consideration of the Greek text for light that may be given
to the meaning of the message of the inspired Word. They have been
presented without needless use of Greek forms that might serve only
to confuse the English reader. Since I am a preacher of the gospel, I
have not hesitated to preach in the comments wherever I have be-
lieved that it might do some good.
The summaries and the questions at the close of each chapter are
presented to help the student recall the content of the chapter and
think through the meaning of the many concepts presented in it.
The BIBLE STUDY TEXTBOOK series is the result of a dream
of Don DeWelt who has sought to extend the teaching program of
II CORINTHIANS
the church through the printed page. He had been editor, counselor,
and friend to me in preparing three books in the series. I pray that
the Lord may bless us as we seek to teach His Word through this
medium.
Department of New Testament
Pacific Christian College
February, 1966
CONTENTS
Preface ^
Chart Outlines 9
Chapter One ^
Chapter Two 35
Chapter Three 53
Chapter Four 75
Chapter Five 91
Chapter Six . . ll4
Chapter Seven 132
Chapter Eight . • l47
Chapter Nine . . . . • • • • • l66
Chapter Ten 174
Chapter Eleven . . . 18 9
Chapter Twelve 2 °9
Chapter Thirteen . . 224
CHART OUTLINES OF SECOND CORINTHIANS
PAUL'S MINISTRY AND APOSTLESHIP
Introduction
(1:1-2)
Defense of
his ministry
(1:3-7:16)
Instruction on
Christian giving
(8:1-9:15)
PAUL'S MINISTRY
Defense of his
apostleship
(10:1-13:10)
Closing
(13:11-13)
Sincerity
(1:3-2:11)
1. Comfort in
affliction
(1:3-11)
2. Conduct among
Corinthians
(1:12-14)
3. Intended visit
(1:15-22)
a) Fickleness
(1:15-2:11)
b) Reason for
delay
(1:23-2:11)
4.
Triumph
(2:12-6:10)
Background
(2:12-13)
Praise
(2:14-17)
Self -commenda-
tion
(3:1-18)
a) Corinthians
b) Covenants
No cowardice
(4:1-5:10)
a) What he
endured
b) Momentary
affliction
Reconciliation
(5:11-6:10)
Appeal
(6:11-7:16)
1. Reciprocal
affection
(6:11-13)
2. Separation from
unbelievers
(6:14-7:1)
3. Reasons for
accepting his
appeal
(7:2-16)
THE GRACE OF CHRISTIAN GIVING
1.
3.
Macedonia
Appeal to
Mission of
Ministering
(8:1-6)
Corinth
Titus and
to the saints
Result
(8:7-15)
others
(9:1-15)
(1-2)
1.
Gracious
(8:16-24)
1.
The readi-
Response
privilege
1. His concern
ness
(3-5)
(7)
(16-17)
(1-2)
Titus
2.
Love
2. His
2.
The
(6)
(8-9)
associates
brethren
3.
Advice
(18-23)
(3-5)
(10-15)
3. The proof of 3.
The issues
love
(6-14)
(24)
4.
a) Sowing
and
reaping
b) Ability
c) Result
God's
unspeakable
gift
(15)
2.
HIS APOSTLESHIP DEFENDED
Appeal
Earnest appeal
(10:1-18)
Ironical appeal
(11:1-12:13)
I
Explanation
of his intended
visit
(12:14-13:10)
10
HIS EARNEST APPEAL
I
Personal
1 1
Weapons Authority
1
Boasting
(10:1-2)
(10:3-6) (10:7-12)
(10:13-18)
1.
Meekness
1.
Not of this 1. Superficial
1. Of men
2.
Boldness
2.
world view
Capable 2. Correct
of demol- view —
ishing all Build up,
opposition not cast
2. In the Lord
down
HIS IRONICAL APPEAL
Foolishness
(11:1-15)
What of relation 1.
to Christ?
(1-3)
What of claims of 2.
super-apostles?
(7-15)
Boasting
(11:16-29)
The false 1.
standard
(l6-21a)
His own labors 2.
(21b-29)
Weakness
(11:30-12:13)
The experience
at Damascus
(11:30-33)
Visions and
Revelations
(12:1-13)
EXPLANATION OF HIS THIRD VISIT
2.
Explanation
(12:14-21)
Not a burden
(12:14-18)
Reason for its
delay
(12:19-21)
Action
(13:1-10)
Against all sinners
(13:1-4)
Settle your
problems
(13:5-10)
11
THE COVENANTS
Promise (430)
Sinai
Ex. 20
Pentecost
Acts 2 New Covenant
To Abraham and
Law did annul the
Abraham's children
seed— CHRIST.
Promise
Believers in Christ:
Gal. 3:29
Gal. 3:8-14
Gal. 3:15*22
Old Covenant
New Birth-
John 3:3-5
(Gospels^-Life of Christ)
ALLEGORY OF ABRAHAM'S TWO SONS
THE TWO COVENANTS
Gal. 4:21-31
1
Law
1
Gospel
Flesh
Sinai Promise
(Zion)
Hagar
Sarah
Jerusalem
Jerusalem
(Ishmael)
above
Persecution
Isaac
JEWS CAST OUT (Persecuted)
CHRISTIANS , HEIRS
THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
.. . ;.,.,.:.. ■
(God's Rule In Hearts)
ISRAEL
| CHURCH |
HEAVEN
National
Spiritual kingdom
Eternal kingdom
and
of Christ.
of Lord and
Religious
Savior Jesus
THRONE OF
Christ.
OLD COVENANT
DAVID
Lk. 1:32;
II Pet. 1:5-11
David
Acts 2:29-36
Rev. 2:10
Psa. 89:3-4
NEW COVENANT
Law and Prophets
Acts and Epistles
Gospels
Points to
-*
Points to
-»
Points to
-»
12
CHAPTER ONE
Analysis
A. Paul sought in his opening words to prepare his readers to re-
ceive the message of his second epistle (1-14).
1. By his gracious salutation (1-2).
a) The writer: Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the
will of God.
b) Persons addressed:
( 1 ) The church of God, the one at Corinth.
(2) The saints in the whole of Achaia.
c) Salutation: Grace and peace from God our Father and
the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. By his praise to God for comfort in affliction (3-11).
a) He identified God (3).
( 1 ) As the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(2) As the merciful Father.
(3) As the God of all comfort — the compassionate
God.
b) He explained why God had comforted Him (4).
( 1 ) To enable him to comfort others in affliction.
(2) To comfort others by means of the comfort God
had showed him.
c) He explained the relation between suffering and comfort
(5-7).
( 1 ) Just as the suffering which Christ experienced came
like a flood upon Paul, so the comfort that he ex-
perienced came through Christ also.
(2) His affliction was for their comfort and salvation.
(3) Paul's comfort was to comfort them and help them
endure their sufferings.
(4) His hope for them was firmly established, for he
knew that as they had shared in the suffering so
they would share in the comfort (7).
d) He told them about his affliction in Asia (8-11).
(1) Its intensity: It was so severe that he often des-
paired of life.
(2) His attitude toward it: He put his trust in God
who raises the dead.
(3) His confidence: God will deliver us.
13
II CORINTHIANS
(4) His deliverance: It was a gift from God.
(a) The prayers of the Corinthians had helped to
bring it about.
(b) It had resulted in thanksgiving to God from
many people.
3. By a brief explanation of his conduct and his writing (12-
14).
a) His conduct (12).
(1) His conscience said he had conducted himself in a
holy and sincere manner before God.
(2) It was not in accord with fleshly wisdom, but with
the grace of God who had granted him the privi-
lege of living as a Christian.
(3) This was true of his conduct in the world and
especially before the Corinthians.
b) His writing (13-14).
(1) They were to understand that he meant by his
writing exactly what they were reading.
(2) They, in part, had understood that he was their
reason for boasting as Christians and they were his
reason for boasting in the day of Our Lord Jesus.
B. Paul explained why he had delayed coming to Corinth (15-24).
1. What he had planned at first (15-16).
a) Because of his confidence in their relation to Christ, he
had planned to come to Corinth, then go on to Mace-
donia, and to return to Corinth.
b) This second visit would prove his kindly feeling for
them.
c) It would have afforded them the privilege of sending
him on his way to Judea.
2. The defense of his plan against anticipated objections
(17-22).
a) Questions that required a negative answer (17).
(1) In planning this, he didn't use levity, did he? No!
(2) He didn't make plans according to flesh, as men do,
did he? No!
(3) His "yes" was not an absolute "yes" and his "no"
an absolute "no" were they? Were not his plans
made with this thought in mind: "If the Lord per-
mits"? Yes!
14
CHAPTER ONE 1:1
b) Answers to possible objections to his plan (18).
(1) It was based on the principle that God is trust-
worthy.
(2) Because of this he had not said an absolute "yes"
or "no".
c) Arguments proving him trustworthy (19-21).
(1) Based on the reference to his preaching: The Son
of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached by Paul
and Silvanus and Timothy did not become a vacil-
lating "yes" or "no" for in Him a "yes" is certain
and trustworthy.
(2) Based on God's promises:
(a) The promises of God in Christ are trust-
worthy.
(b) They can trust God and glorify Him through
the things Paul had taught them.
(3) Based on God's approval of Paul's ministry (21-
22).
(a) The One who establishes us along with you
(in the Day of Christ) and anointed us is God.
(b) He also sealed us and gave us the guarantee
of the Spirit in our hearts.
3. His reasons for delaying his visit to Corinth (23-24).
a) The solemn statement: I call God as witness upon my
soul.
b) The plain reason: To spare you possible sorrow.
c) The explanation:
(1) Lordship: We do not have lordship over your
faith; we are fellow- workers with your joy.
(2) Faith: You stand in your faith, that is, in your re-
lation to Christ, for He is Lord of your faith.
Salutation
Scripture
1:1-2. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jeus through the will of God,
and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Cor-
inth, with all the saints that are in the whole of Achaia: 2 Grace to
you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Comments
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus. — In the first epistle to the Corin-
15
1:1 II CORINTHIANS
thians, Paul spoke of himself as a "called" or summoned apostle. Since
the Corinthians were already familiar with this fact, it seemed un-
necessary to repeat it in the second letter. They knew that they had
heard the Word of God through him and that their position as
Christians depended upon the fact that he was an apostle of Christ.
He had made this known to them in the first epistle, but they were
to be reminded of it again in this letter.
Paul wrote First Corinthians to correct certain problems that were
present in the church. They were (1) those reported to him by
members of the household of Chloe and (2) those about which they
had written requesting information and instruction.
The second epistle was written to complete the reformation which
he had begun through the first letter. Following a brief introduction,
it tells (1) about the sincerity of his ministry in their behalf, and
defends his change of plans that had caused him to delay his return
visit to Corinth; (2) it gives further instruction about completing
the offering for the saints in Judea; and (3) it defends his apostle-
ship against the claims of those whom he called false apostles.
the will of God.- — Because of the rebellious attitude of some who
were disturbing the faith of the Corinthian Christians, it was necessary
for Paul to remind them in both of his epistles that he had received
his apostleship through the will of God. The teaching, correction, and
instruction which he wrote to them was given by the authority of
the Lord Jesus Christ.. To rebel against the inspired writing was to
rebel against the will of God.
and Timothy, — Sosthenes was associated with Paul in the writing of
First Corinthians, but Timothy is in that place of honor in the second
epistle. There is no reason to suppose that either of them had any-
thing to. do with, the content of the messages other than being as-
sociated with Paul who wrote them under the direction of the Holy
Spirit. Timothy is mentioned again in 1:19 along with Silvanus who
was another of Paul's helpers.
After having learned about the problems in the church at Corinth,
Paul sent Timothy, his beloved and faithful child in the lord, to
remind them of the things which he taught everywhere in every
church. He instructed them to receive him with respect what was due
one performing the work of the Lord even as Paul himself was
doing. See I Coir. 4: 17 arid 16: 10-1 1.
unto the church of God.— It -'was necessary to remind the Corinthians
again that they were of the church of God, not of men. Paul had made
it clear to them in the first epistle that the church was the temple of
16
CHAPTER ONE 1:1,2
God and that the Spirit of God dwelt in it. Anyone attempting to
destroy that temple would be destroyed, for God's temple is holy.
The Corinthian Christians were to conduct themselves in a manner
befitting the saints of God. See I Cor. 3:16-17.
with all the saints, — As the church is holy because it is separated from
sin and dedicated to the service of God so those who are members of
that holy body are called saints. The Corinthians were reminded that
they had gotten their sins washed away in baptism. They had been
separated from sinful practices and set apart to the holy service of
God. All this had been done in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in
accord with the instruction given to them through the Spirit of God.
See I Cor. 6:11.
All of this was intended to remind the church at Corinth that God
would tolerate no false teaching nor conduct that fell below the
standard presented by His inspired apostle. The apostle Paul had set
the example of holy living for them. See I Cor. 4:16 and 11:1.
in the whole of Achaia. — This suggests that, while the letter was
addressed primarily to Corinth, there were other congregations in the
area also. There was one church of God, but many congregations.
There was one divine standard of teaching to regulate the life and
conduct of all.
Grace to you and peace. — This conforms to the standard of greeting in
all of Paul's epistles, but it is more than a mere greeting. Paul was
aware of the hardships through which the church was passing. He
knew about the ones who were troubling the saints of God. He knew
how very much they needed the grace of God, His unmerited favor.
The church had been torn by strife and faction; he knew how they
needed peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The
salutation was like a prayer that God's grace and peace from the
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ might rest upon this congregation.
Comfort in Affliction
Scripture
1:3-11. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of mercies and God of all comfort; 4 who comforteth us in all
our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any
affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are com-
forted of God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound unto us, even
so our comfort also aboundeth through Christ. 6 But whether we are
afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or whether we are
comforted, it is for your comfort, which worketh in the patient en-
17
1:3 II CORINTHIANS
during of the same sufferings which we also suffer: 7 and our hope
for you is stedfast; knowing that, as ye are partakers of the sufferings,
so also are ye of the comfort. 8 For we would not have you ignorant,
brethren, concerning our affliction which befell us in Asia, . that we
were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, insomuch that
we despaired even of life: 9 yea, we ourselves have had the sentence
of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but
in God who raiseth the dead: 10 who delivered us out of so great a
death, and will deliver: on whom we have set our hope that he will
also still deliver, us; 1 1 ye also helping together on our behalf by
your supplication; that, for the gift bestowed upon us by means of
many, thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf.
Comments
Blessed.— It is characteristic of Paul to sing praise to God in the
presence of persecution and distress. When he and Silas were im-
prisoned at Philippi, they prayed and sang hymns to God. See Acts
16:25. His imprisonment in Rome resulted in Christ being preached.
This led him to say, "Therein I rejoice and will rejoice" (Phil. 1:
18). He was fulfilling the standard about which he had written to
the Romans that they were to be "patient in tribulation; continuing
steadfastly in prayer"' (Rom. 12:12). He wrote to the Colossians to
say, "I rejoice in my suffering for your sake and I fill up on my part
that which is lacking of: the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his
body's sake which is the church" ( Col. 1 : 24 ) .
This attitude came, in part at least, from the fact that he had
once been the chief persecutor — and chief sinner because of it —
of the church. He now rejoiced that he had become identified with
Christ. In no way was this more evident than in his suffering the same
kind of affliction that Christ had suffered during His ministry.
Persecution and affliction do not always produce faithfulness and
rejoicing. But those who have strong convictions about Christ and
are fully assured about His resurrection and coming again rejoice in
spite of hardships. See Rom. 5:1-5.
Paul began the letter on this note so that the Corinthians might
understand when he listed some of the things he had suffered for
that he was not asking for sympathy, but willingly enduring these
things for their sakes.
God and Father. — This is not a repetition of verse two. There Paul
wrote of "God our Father;" here, he writes of the God and Father
of our Lord jesus Christ.
18
CHAPTER ONE 1:3
We become children of God by being born of the water and the
Spirit — the new birth. Our Lord Jesus Christ was designated Son
because of the miraculous conception and by His resurrection from
the dead (Luke 1:35; Rom. 1:3-4). His relation to the Father was
unique, for He was the only begotten of the Father (John 1:14,
18). The writer of Hebrews quotes Psa. 1:7, "Thou art my son,
This day have I begotten thee," and relates it, very likely, to the
birth of Jesus Our Lord (Heb. 1:5). Paul used the same quotation
in his sermon to the Jews in Antioch and related it to the resurrec-
tion (Acts 13:33). Hebrews, then, relates Sonship to the fact of
His miraculous conception; Acts, to the proof of it.
Jesus made the distinction between His relation to the Father and
ours when He spoke to Mary Magdalene, saying, "Touch me not
(Greek: stop clinging to me) for I am not yet ascended unto the
Father: but go to my brethren, and say to them, I ascend unto my
Father and your Father, and my God and your God" (John 20:17).
We can call God our Father because of our relation to our Lord
Jesus Christ. To those who accepted Him, He gave the right to be-
come children of God — that is, to those who believed on His name
and were born of God. See John 1:12-13; I Cor. 4:15; James 1:18.
He called God His Father because of His miraculous conception.
This is in harmony with the deity of Jesus, for John explained that
"the Word was God" (John 1:1). So Paul speaks of the God as
well as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ — unique relationships in
both cases. Paul, writing to the Philippians, explained how this One
who was on an equality with God came to be in the likeness of men.
See Phil. 2:5-11.
On the cross, Jesus as man cried with a loud voice and spoke the
words written in Psa. 22:1, "My God, my God, why has thou for-
saken me?" (Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34).
Lord Jesus Christ. — The word "Lord" is used in many ways in the
Bible. It is used in respectful address, like our word "sir." It may refer
to the owner of a house or a master of a vineyard or to one who has
the right to order his servants and expect them to obey. What did it
mean in reference to Jesus Christ? In some instances it could well be
rendered "sir." In others it suggests His right to command those who
are to perform a service under His direction. But in addition to that,
it refers to His deity. In the Old Testament God is called "Lord."
It is well known that the LXX substituted the word "Lord" for
"Jehovah." God told Moses that "JHVH" was the name of the God
of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob. See Ex. 3:15. The apparent
19
1:3,4 II CORINTHIANS
reason for the substitution was to avoid using the ineffable name of
God in vain.
Quotations from the Old Testament that refer to Jehovah ( JHVH)
are rendered "Lord" in the New Testament. One such is Isa. 40:3,
quoted in Luke 3:4, It clearly refers to the work of John the Baptist
who was to prepare the way for the Lord Jesus Christ.
On the Day of Pentecost when Peter declared that God had made
Jesus both Lord and Christ it is very likely that the Jews who were
used to this word for Deity understood him to say that Jesus is God.
"God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" contemplates Jesus
in His unique relation to the Father in His deity, His office as
Saviour, and as Messiah — that is, prophet, priest, and king.
the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. — God is the God of
all comfort. Then comfort that comes from any other source is sub-
ject to question.. This is not to say that God cannot use one whom He
has comforted to comfort others. The Corinthians needed to remem-
ber that God is like a father who takes pity on his children in their
distress. Corinth had its/troubles and its troublemakers, but the Father
knew all about them. The Old Testament has a significant word on
this: "As a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pities those who
fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust"
(Psa. 103:13). But in the New Testament in the person of Our
Lord, we see this demonstrated as He healed the sick, gave sight to
the blind, and proclaimed the gospel to the poor.
The God of comfort is like one called to stand by the side of the
helpless, the discouraged, and the oppressed. God comforted Paul as
he faced death with the assurance that Christ lived and that after this
body dies, he would have a building from God, eternal in the
heavens. See II Cor. 5:1. Paul told the Thessalonians about the
coming of Christ and the resurrection of the dead, and added, "Com-
fort one another with these words" (I Thes. 4:18). He comforts
those in trial with the assurance that the way out is provided for
them— that is, by following His direction just as our Lord did in the
wilderness temptation, See I Cor. 10:13; Matt. 4:4; Heb. 4:15. He
comforts those who are sometimes misunderstood by the assurance
that God knows the hearts of all men. See Rom. 8:27.
that we may be able to comfort. — God came to the aid of Paul in all
the pressures of life that brought distress, not for his sake alone but
that he might in turn pass this blessing along to others. He told the
Corinthians how God delivered him that they might find in the
God of comfort the relief from their hardships, discouragements, and
20
CHAPTER ONE 1:4-8
trials, which, in their case, often came from their own sinful prac-
tices or the disturbing influence of false teachers.
For as the suffering of Christ abound unto us. — The sufferings of
Christ are the sufferings He endured during His ministry for the
sake of others — that is, to help others. He was persecuted, maligned,
and in the end, crucified. All who would be His disciples face the
need of bearing the cross, drinking the cup He drank, and suffering
as He suffered. But the flood of sufferings that often swept over Paul
was balanced by the flood of comfort that came to Him through
Christ.
For your comfort and salvation. — The things which Christ suffered
led to His death and resurrection which provided the means of
salvation for all those who are willing to become united with
Him in the likeness of His death that they might also be in
the likeness of His resurrection. Paul's sufferings were in a sense like
the sufferings of Christ, for they provided comfort and salvation for
others. Christ's sufferings provided salvation from sin, for He shed
His blood to blot out sin. Paul's sufferings brought comfort and sal-
vation, not in the sense of blotting out sin, but by encouraging others
to patiently endure the suffering which were like his own sufferings
through which he had safely passed.
our hope for you. — Paul knew about the sufferings of the church at
Corinth, for he was like a loving father who suffered when he knew
that his children were suffering. But he also knew that this example
of patience in tribulation would be followed by the Corinthians. His
confidence in them and his hope for them, remained undaunted despite
the fact that in both of the epistles to the Corinthians Paul shows
how far short of the standard of Christ the Corinthian church had
fallen. His hope was not based on any false notion that the Lord
would accept them in their sin, but that they would correct their
errors and imitate him, their spiritual father as he imitated Christ.
our affliction which befell us in Asia. — Paul mentions this to show
them the extent to which he had gone in suffering in order that he
might minister to them. We have no way of knowing the exact
thing to which he referred. Luke tells about the riot which Demetrius
and the silversmiths caused at Ephesus when Paul was there. But he
also reminds us that Paul's friends kept him from getting involved.
See Acts 19:30-31. Paul mentions the fact that he had fought with
wild beasts at Ephesus. See I Cor. 15:32. But we have no way of
knowing exactly what this meant.
The thing that happened to him in Asia was so beyond his ability
21
1:8-11 II CORINTHIANS
to endure that he utterly despaired of life. In 4:10-11 he mentions
the fact that he constantly faced death for Jesus. In 11:23-28 he
listed many of the trials through which he had gone as an apostle,
often being in danger of death. Constantly facing this sentence of
death, he was led to put his trust in God who raises the dead. It was
toward God, and not toward himself, that he directed his hope of
continued deliverance.
by your supplication. — Paul had no doubt about God's ability to de-
liver him from this threat of death. But there were two other factors
involved in the deliYerance: (1) his own patient endurance of the
trials that he suffered, and (2) the help which the Corinthians sup-
plied by their supplication in his behalf.
This brings up the interesting subject of the place of prayer in
connection with the providence of God. Paul urged the Colossians
to pray for him that God might open a door for the word and that
he might speak as he ought to. See Col. 4:2-4. Paul says that God's
administration of the fulness of times bring all things together in
Christ. This, evidently, is done to insure the success of God's plan
of redemption. See Eph. 1:9-10. Abraham prayed for the deliverance
of Sodom and Gomorrah from the destruction which God said was
to come upon them, but they were not delivered because there were
not even ten righteous men in those cities. Moses prayed that God
would spare the nation of Israel when they sinned by worshipping
the golden calf, The nation was saved, but the guilty ones were pun-
ished by being put to death. Jesus told Peter that Satan desired
to have the apostles that he might sift all of them as wheat. He
made supplication for Peter that his faith should not fail, but even
the prayer of Jesus did not keep Peter from denying that he had ever
known his Lord. Why? Because he Would not listen to the warning
which Jesus gave nor to the instruction which He had given him
concerning the nature of His kingdom. Peter was sure that even if
all the others should fail Christ, he wouldn't. But when Jesus meekly
submitted to arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter lost all faith
in Him. While the prayer of Jesus did not prevent Peter's denial, it
did give him, because of the resurrection, an opportunity to find the
basis of genuine faith which would not fail him. See I Pet. 1:3-7.
Prayer must not only be offered in accordance with God's will, but
those for whom it is offered must also be willing to conform to His
will as revealed in His Word. See I John 5 : 14-15. The church ought
always to pray for its minister, but their prayers won't keep him
from teaching falsehood if he has not diligently studied and earnestly
22
CHAPTER ONE 1:11,12
sought to handle the Word of God accurately. The church ought
always to pray for their missionaries, but prayer won't keep the
missionaries from mistakes of judgment if their judgments are not
based solidly on the principles presented in the Word of God. Even
if death for the sake of the gospel should be their lot as it was in
Paul's case, the crown of life awaits those who keep the faith.
the gift bestowed on us by means of many. — Paul's deliverance from
the trial which he faced in Asia was like a gracious gift from God.
It had been made possible by means of the prayers of the people on
his behalf. He suggests that the many who had prayed should now
thank God for the answer — the gift of deliverance. This points out
a weakness in many prayers. Too often our prayers are requests that
are not followed by prayers of thanksgiving. All eternity will not
suffice to thank Him for the gift of salvation which He provided
through the suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. Thank-
ing God for Paul's deliverance would help the Corinthians to look
to God for deliverance from their trials which were largely the
result of the work of the false teachers in their midst and of their
own failure to follow the standard of conduct Christ had set for
them.
Paul's defense of His Conduct and Writing
Scripture
1:12-14. For our glorying is this, the testimony of our conscience,
that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in
the grace of God, we behaved ourselves in the world, and more
abundantly to you- ward. 13 For we write no other things unto
you, than what ye read or even acknowledge, and I hope ye will
acknowledge unto the end: 14 as also ye did acknowledge us in
part, that we are your glorying, even as ye also are ours, in the day
of our Lord Jesus.
Comments
For our glorying. — Paul had just written of his deliverance from
death which clearly suggested God's approval upon him as an apostle
of Jesus Christ through the will of God. The basis for his view was
two-fold: (1) his own sincere conduct before the Corinthians and
( 2 ) the trustworthy letters which he had written to them. He called
upon his own conscience, that is, his sense of right and wrong, to
testify for him in this matter. He was confident before God that
what he had done and what he had written was right.
23
1:12-14 II CORINTHIANS
holiness and sincerity of God. — His life of purity and sincerity had
God's approval. He did not act upon the basis of fleshly wisdom. This
may be a suggestion that those who were troubling the church at
Corinth were acting from such a motive. He had reminded them in his
first letter that he had not spoken to them in excellence of speech
or of wisdom, that is, in the manner ordinarily used by men, for he
depended upon that revelation that came directly to him through the
Spirit of God. He made sure that his conduct was in harmony with
God's revealed will, lest he himself should be disqualified after
having preached the gospel to others. See I Cor. 9:25-27. Paul in-
sisted that his conduct was in harmony with the gracious privilege
that God had given him, first of all to be a follower of Jesus Christ
and then to be an apostle of Christ. Christ lived in him, for he was
living the life of faith, and by so doing he did not make void the
grace of God. See Gal. 2:20-21.
in the world and more abundantly to you-ward.— Paul was always
careful about his conduct. It was not one thing before the world and
something else before the Corinthians. He was particularly careful to
conduct himself in a Christlike manner in their presence because he
was aware of the fact that the false apostles were searching for an
excuse to discredit him before them. Note his attitude toward the
subject of money. See II Cor. 8:21.
for we write no other things unto you,- — He was aware that some had
been saying that his letters were bold but he was weak. See 10: M).
He knew that some were "puffed up" rejecting the promise that he
had made to visit them. See I Cor. 4:18. He assured them that they
could trust what they read in his letter. He meant exactly what he
said. He wanted them to continue to understand this with reference
to everything that he was writing. What they read and understood
him to say in his letters corresponded exactly to what he was before
God and in the world.
unto the end. — Since this has to do with his writing it seems to sug-
gest that he wanted the Corinthians to have a clear understanding of
all he was writing. The phrase "to the end" is also found in I Cor.
1:8. There, however, it is associated with the day of the coming of
the Lord Jesus Christ, for Paul was concerned about their remaining
stedfast in their faith until that day.
as also ye did acknowledge us in part.— Some, perhaps the majority,
had clearly understood what he had written about his intended
visit, but some had not submitted to his authority. He told them
plainly that he would not spare such when he came again. They could
24
CHAPTER ONE 1:14,15
depend on it. See II Cor. 13:2; I Cor, 4:21. Would they have him
come with a rod of chastisement, or in love and a spirit of gentle-
ness? How eager he was that it should be the latter! It was his fond
hope that in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ they might be able to
. glory in the fact that they had accepted the message that had come
to them through die apostle of Christ. Paul was also hoping that
they would remain faithful so that he would be able to glory in
their Christian conduct. They were to be the evidence of his faithful
ministry as an apostle of Christ.
Explanation of His Deferred Visit
Scripture
1:15-24. And in this confidence I was minded to come first unto
you, that ye might have a second benefit; 16 and by you to pass into
Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come unto you, and of
you to be set forward on my journey unto Judaea. 17 When I there-
fore was thus minded, did I show fickleness? or the things that I
purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there
should be the yea yea and the nay nay? 18 But as God is faithful,
our word toward you is not yea and nay. 19 For the Son of God,
Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us even by me and
Silvanus and Timothy, was not yea and nay, but in him is yea.
20 For how many soever be the promises of God, in him is the yea:
wherefore also through him is the Amen, unto the glory of God
through us. 21 Now he that established! us with you in Christ, and
anointed us, is God; 22 who also sealed us, and gave us the earnest
of the Spirit in our hearts.
23 But I call God for a witness upon my soul, that to spare you I
forbare to come unto Corinth. 24 Not that we have lordship over
your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for in faith ye stand fast.
Comments
And in this confidence. — Paul was confident that the Corinthians
understood that he was their spiritual father and that they were his
spiritual children. See I Cor. 4: 14-16. With this in mind, he had
planned at first to come to Corinth and after passing through their
area to go on to Macedonia and then to come back from Macedonia
to Corinth in order that he might visit them twice. In this way he
would demonstrate his good toward them. This differed from the
original only in that it would give the Corinthians a second benefit,
25
1:15-17 II CORINTHIANS
that is, they would have the privilege of having the apostle with them
on two occasions. It suggests a deeper concern for them than for the
Macedonians. It was not to be understood as cancelling his original
plan. See I Cor. 16:5-7. He wanted them to continue to understand
that what he had written in the first letter about his intention to visit
them would be fulfilled.
set forward on my journey. — This does not seem to suggest any
financial aid, since Paul had made a rule in dealing with Corinth to
accept no support from them, lest his motives be misunderstood or
he should give occasion to the false teachers to justify their desire to
be paid.
Luke tells of an occasion when Paul met with the brethren from
Ephesus on his way to Jerusalem. He told how Paul spoke to them
and then knelt down and prayed with them. All wept and fell on
his neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for his word that they
would not be able to see him again. See Acts 20: 17-28. Paul probably
had a meeting of this sort in mind when he suggested coming back
to Corinth and have them send him on his way to Judea.
When I was thus minded. — The defense which Paul makes at this
point is against anticipated objections. This is common in his writings
because he knew the minds of those to whom he wrote. An example
of it is given in Rom. 6:1-7:25 where he answered possible objections
on the part of his readers.
There is no indication that the Corinthians had known anything
about this plan to visit them twice until they read it in this letter.
Timothy, of course, had been sent to Corinth and was with Paul as
he was writing II Corinthians. See I Cor. 4:16-17 and 16:10. There
is no indication, however, that he knew anything about the plan
mentioned in the above verses while he, was at Corinth.
Titus also had been sent to Corinth. This fact is mentioned in
2:13; 7:6-14; 8:6, 16, 23, and 12:18. There is no indication that
Titus could have known that Paul was planning to make a trip
first to Corinth and then to Macedonia. Paul had not been able to
make contact with him until he found him in Macedonia, from
which point he was writing this second Corinthian letter.
It seems best then to assume that Paul was anticipating possible
criticism of the plan which he had not been able to put into effect.
The Corinthians were being informed about it for the first time as
they read this letter. He wanted them to know about it because he
wanted them to understand his love for them as their father in the
26
CHAPTER ONE 1:17,18
gospel. He also knew that there were some among them who as-
sumed that he would not come at all. See I Cor. 4:18.
did I show fickleness? — The word translated "fickleness" means "light-
ness." Some assume that Paul was vacillating as if he had been
saying one thing but was now saying something entirely different.
Paul explained this word by using two other expressions: (1) "pur-
pose according to flesh"; and (2) "the yea, yea, and the nay, nay."
"According to flesh" seems to suggest the manner in which men
make plans without considering their relation to God, a thing that
Paul never did. See v.12 on "fleshly wisdom." James mentions those
who say "today or tomorrow we will go into the city and spend a
year there and trade and get gain." (James 4:13). He adds that
because a man doesn't know what the morrow will bring, he ought
to say, "If the Lord will, we shall both live and do this or that"
(4:15). When Paul wrote to the Corinthians about his proposed
trip he said "I will come to you shortly if the Lord will" (I Cor.
4:19). Later, he spoke of his desire to spend some time with them
and added, "If the Lord permit" (I Cor. 16:7).
James also throws light on the meaning of "the yes, yes." See
James 5:12. It is in a different context, for James is reminding the
brethren that they are not to swear by heaven or earth or anything
else. That is to say, they could not bind heaven and earth to make
up any deficiency in the truthfulness of their statement. Therefore
their "yes" was to be "yes." This was to be a positive affirmation
that what they are saying was true or that their "no" meant just
"no." But Paul is talking about his plan that had to do with future
events. He could not, as men might do, say "Yes" affirming by this
"yes" that he did not need to consider the Lord's will. The defense
that Paul is making in these somewhat difficult phrases (that is,
difficult for us to understand, not for the Corinthians) seems to be
against the possible charge that he made his plan lightly, not con-
sidering the will of God. That this is so, seems to be clear from the
fact that he stated these questions in forms that required "No" for
an answer. He wasn't treating the matter lightly, was he? The only
answer that could be given was "No." He didn't make the plan
according to men who disregard God, did he? The answer was "No."
His "Yes" wasn't "Yes" without considering God's will, was it?
Again, the only answer was "No."
But as God is faithful. — The questions which Paul had just asked
required a negative answer. To make sure that the Corinthians under-
stood it, he added, "Our word to you is not Yes and No'." This does
27
1:18-21 II CORINTHIANS
not suggest vacillation, for it is based on the principle of the trust-
worthiness of God. The visit he planned to make to Corinth and had
deferred was based on the principle of truthworthiness of God whom
he served as an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God.
for the Son of God, Jesus Christ. — Having stated that his plan to
visit Corinth had not been made lightly, he now proves his trust^
worthiness by a three-fold argument: (1) that based on his preach-
ing; (2) that based on God's promises; and (3) that based on the
evidence of God's approval on his ministry.
Paul and his companions, Silvanus and Timothy, had preached
the Son of God, Jesus Christ, in the midst of the Corinthians. This
was not a matter on their part of "Yes" and "No," for in Him—
that is, in Christ— is the "Yes." The certainty-^-validity, trustworthi-
ness — of the message of the apostle and his companions was not a
matter of men's speech but of Christ Himself.
For how many soever be the promises of God. — God is trustworthy;
the message concerning His Son, Jesus Christ, is trustworthy; the
promises of God which are fulfilled in His Son are likewise trust-
worthy.
Paul and those associated with him could wholeheartedly say
"Amen" to this.
Now he that establisheth us with you in Christ. — God is the One who
established both Paul and the Corinthians in their relationship to
Christ, and in the "day of our Lord Jesus" (verse 14).
The Corinthians had gotten their sins washed away by the blood
of the Lamb, when they were baptized into Christ; they were sepa-
rated from their sins; they were pardoned in the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. See I Cor. 6:1.1. They
could depend on that relationship because, they were instructed by
the inspired apostle of Christ. Paul had obeyed the gospel which
Ananias had preached to him when he said, "Now why do you
delay? Arise and get yourself baptized and wash away your sins,
because you called on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16). They
could be sure about their relationship to Christ because of their
obedience to the word that had come from Him.
anointed us. — Anointing had to do with one's installation in office.
In the Old Testament times, both prophets, priests, and kings were
anointed as they were installed in office. Christ Himself was anointed
with the Holy Spirit as He began His ministry as Prophet, Priest,
and King. See Luke 4:18; Acts 10:38. The apostles were baptized
28
CHAPTER ONE 1:21,22
in the Holy Spirit so that they might speak as the Spirit gave them
utterance and reveal the message from God. See I Cor. 2:6-16.
When Paul insists that God anointed "us," in all probability he
was referring to the whole apostolic group. When John wrote to
the church mentioning the anointing which they had from the Holy
One, he referred to this power that came to the apostles who were
baptized in the Holy Spirit and those upon whom they laid their
hands in order that they might bring the inspired teaching to all
who would hear. John affirms that the message thus spoken was true.
See I John 2:19-27. In the same way, the Corinthians could trust
what Paul said because he was an apostle of Christ through the will
of God.
who also sealed us. — Paul tells the Ephesians that they had been
sealed by the promised Holy Spirit. See Eph. 1:13. The Holy Spirit
through the apostles by the word which they preached had produced
in them the identifying marks of a Christian, that is, Christian
character and conduct. See Gal. 5:22-24; Rev. 7:3.
Paul was speaking of those things that marked him as a genuine
apostle of Jesus Christ. His word was trustworthy. See 12:12 where
he reminded them that the signs of an apostle were wrought among
them. They were the signs and wonders and mighty works which he
had done in the midst of them.
Since God's approval rested on him, they could trust his word
and be assured of the sincerity of his plan to come to them.
and gave us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. — Paul also refers
to "earnest" in 5:5 and Eph. 1:14. It ought not to be confused with
"firstfruits" (I Cor. 15:20) which suggest that Christ's resurrection
indicates that all the dead will be raised.
"Earnest" is usually defined as money paid down to guarantee the
full payment of a debt. An instance in which the word meant a pledge,
token or guarantee that one's word would be made good is men-
tioned in Gen. 38:17-18, 25. This meaning fits well each of its uses in
the New Testament in which it is used. It is something that guaran-
tees that God's promise will be fulfilled.
The earnest or the guarantee is the Spirit, that is, the Holy Spirit
is the One who gives the guarantee. In this instance, the guarantee
had to do with Paul's apostleship and truthworthiness of his word.
See I Cor. 2:6-16 where Paul argues for his inspiration as well as
that of the other apostles. He declared that the Spirit had revealed
the mind of God to them, and that they spoke that revelation in words
that were Spirit-taught. He affirmed that we — the apostles — have the
29
1:22-24 II CORINTHIANS
mind of Christ. He knew that Christ, by the Spirit; had guided him
into all the truth (John 16:13-14). He was aware of the fact that
the Corinthians could trust his word because it was guaranteed by
the Holy Spirit, for it came from God through the Holy Spirit.
in our hearts. — that is, in the hearts of the inspired apostles. The
inspired message was in their minds, for they had the mind of
Christ. This is not intangible subjectivism, but an awareness on the
part of the apostles that they were actually being used by the Holy
Spirit to reveal the, truth of God. The accompanying miracles gave
objective testimony to this truth. See Heb. 2 : 3-4. , ,;
But I call God for a witness.— In this most solemn manner Paul
assured the Corinthians that. they could understand that he was tell-
ing the truth. The trip that he was planning had to be deferred be-
cause he had not learned of their reaction to the instruction given in
First Corinthians. He had asked, "Shall I come to you with a rod
of chastisement, or shall I come in love and a spirit of gentleness?"
It was to spare them the embarrassment and sorrow of having to be
reproved again, that he deferred the trip until he could hear from
Titus and know about the situation at Corinth. See 2:12 and 7:6.
Not that ive have lordship over your faith. — In First Corinthians,
Paul had reminded them that he and Apollos were ministers— dea-
cons — through whom they had believed. See I Cor. 3:5. They were
responsible to the Lord, not Paul, for their belief. He challenges them
in the closing words of this second letter to test out their ownselves
to see if they were in the faith — faith, that is, in the Lord Jesus
Christ. All that Paul could do was to work for their joy, by encour-
aging them to remain faithful to the Lord and instructing them in
their privileges and responsibilities as Christians. He couldn't believe
for them.
for in faith you stand.- — They had taken that stand when Paul
preached the word of Christ to them. They had demonstrated that
faith is obedience to Christ. There was no other foundation on which
to build.
This in no way suggests that Paul was unaware of the fact, that
some were ready to listen to the appeal of the false teachers who
were disturbing them, as the closing chapters of the letter clearly
indicate. It does show his concern that they remember that their
relation to Christ, the Lord, depended on faith expressed in obedience
to Him.
30
CHAPTER ONE 1:1-24
Summary
Paul began his second epistle in a manner that was intended to
insure a favorable reception on the part of his readers. In his usual,
gracious manner he addressed them as the church of God. The
brethren at Corinth were made aware of the fact that what he said
to them was intended for all the saints in die whole of Achaia.
While this letter was to be critical of many things that were
going on in Corinth, Paul began by telling them how God had com-
forted him in his sufferings for Christ. The merciful Father had done
this so that he might be able to help others in their trials. He had a
sure hope for them because he knew that as they were sharers of the
sufferings so also they would be of the comfort.
He mentioned the thing he had suffered in Asia. It had been
beyond his ability to endure; he utterly despaired of life. This was
like a death sentence to him. He dared not trust in himself, but in
God who raises the dead. God delivered him from such a death.
He was confident that God would do so again if he should face the
same trial again. The Corinthians had prayed for his deliverance
which made this gift from God a matter of thanksgiving on the part
of many people.
Paul had been conscientious in his conduct everywhere, and espe-
cially at Corinth. He wanted them to know that he intended to keep
his promise to visit them again just as he had written in his first
epistle. A delay had become necessary, but he would come again to
Corinth.
They, for the most part, had understood that this promise had
been made by their spiritual father. They were his beloved children.
They could be proud that he was their father in the gospel, and "he
could be proud of his relation to them in the Day of our Lord Jesus.
Confident that they understood this relationship, Paul had planned
to visit them first, then go to Macedonia and again return to them.
They would have the privilege of helping him on his journey to
Judea. Such a visit would prove his kindly feeling for them. They
would have no reason to be jealous over his attention to other
churches.
Was such a plan mere words spoken lightly with no intention of
carrying out the plan? Nothing in his preaching could lead them
to suppose he had been so fickle. The promises of God which they
had heard from him were trustworthy. Moreover, God had established
him in his relationship to them as the apostle through whom they
had learned about Christ. He had equipped him to speak the wisdom
31
1:1-24 II CORINTHIANS
from God. God had given him the identifying marks of an apostle.
As an inspired apostle, he had in his mind and heart the message
which the Holy Spirit had revealed to him on which he based his
confidence in God and His promises. No Word of his was spoken
lightly.
Why then had he delayed his coming? He called upon God to:
testify for him that it was to spare them from sorrow. The delay
would give them time to examine their position and make sure about
their faith in the Lord.
Questions
1. Why did Paul call attention to the fact that he was an apostle
of Christ Jesus through the will of God?
2. Why did he mention Timothy in the salutation?
3. Why did he speak of the church as "the church of God"?
4. Why did he address the letter to all the saints in the whole of
Achaia as well as to the church in Corinth?
5. Why did he speak of "saints" in this connection?
6. What significance did his greeting of grace and peace have to
the Corinthians at this time?
1. How did Paul prepare his readers to accept the message of his
epistle? ">
8. What are the three principal topics which Paul discussed in the
epistle?'
9. What was Paul's characteristic approach to the problem of
suffering?
10. What had he done when he and Silas were imprisoned in
Philippi? '-,
11. In writing to the Colossians, what did he say about his attitude
toward sufferings?
12. How do we know that Paul was not merely asking for sympathy
when he told about his sufferings?
13. Why should Paul speak of "God our Father" and of "the God
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ"?
14. What significant difference is there in the two phrases?
15. What is the probable significance of "Lord" as Paul used it to
refer to Jesus Christ?
16. What additional truths are suggested about Him in the names
"Jesus" and "Christ"?
17. Why does he speak of God as the Father of mercies and God of
all comfort?
32
CHAPTER ONE
18. What does the psalmist say about God's pity for his children?
19. How is all this demonstrated in the attitude of Jesus toward
those who suffered?
20. How did God comfort Paul as he faced the possibility of death
in Asia?
21. What was God's purpose in comforting Paul?
22. What did Paul mean by the sufferings of Christ? How did these
sufferings sweep over him like a flood?
23. Why did Paul write about his hope for the Corinthians despite
his knowledge of their sins?
24. Why did he mention the affliction that befell him in Asia?
25. Why did he mention the sentence of death?
26. How had the Corinthians cooperated in his deliverance?
27. What is taught in the Bible about the place of prayer in the
providence of God? What is providence?
28. What clearly defined limitations of prayer are indicated in this
matter?
29. What did Paul suggest that the Corinthians do since their prayers
had helped in his deliverance? Why?
30. What had deliverance from death suggested as to God's attitude
toward the apostle?
31. How did Paul view his conduct at Corinth and the letter he
had written to them?
32. How could Paul make sure that his conduct had the approval of
God?
33. In what other area was Paul concerned about his conduct?
34. How did Paul let the church know that he meant exactly what
he had written in the first epistle about his intended visit?
35. How had the majority reacted to his letter?
36. What would happen to those who had not submitted to his
authority as an apostle?
37. On what was Paul's confidence based when he planned to visit
Corinth a second time?
38. What had he told them about the trip in the first epistle?
39- What was the second benefit that he had planned for them?
40. How did he expect the Corinthians to send him on his journey
to Jerusalem?
41. When did the Corinthians first learn about this intended second
visit?
42. What was his point in mentioning it here?
33
II CORINTHIANS
43. Why did he defend himself against the possible charge of
fickleness?
44. What is his point in the question about "yes" and "no"?
45. What did he always take into consideration when he made his
plans?
46. How did Paul defend himself against the possible charge of
vacillation? <
47. How did Paul prove his trustworthiness?
48. Why did Paul refer to the many promises of God?
49. How had the relationship of Paul to the Corinthians as the
apostle who had preached Christ to them been established?
50. What did he mean by the fact that God had anointed him and
also sealed him?
51. What is the earnest of the Spirit? What bearing does this have
on the issue of Paul's relationship to the Corinthians?
52. Why did he call on God "for a witness"?
53. What is meant by "lordship over your faith"?
54. Why did he say, "For in your faith you stand"?
For Discussion
1. What may be learned from the manner in which Paul approached
the Corinthians' problem that might help in presenting the
gospel today?
2. What is the relation of reliability in personal obligations to the
effective teaching of the Word of God?
34
CHAPTER TWO
Analysis
Paul continued the explanation of his deferred visit to Corinth
(1-13).
1. He explained his personal reason for the delay (1-4),
a) He had decided not to come again in sorrow.
b) He gave his reason: If I make you sorry, who is there
to gladden me but the one I made sorry?
c) He reminds them that he had written — in First Cor-
inthians — this very thing:
( 1 ) He did so in order that he might not have sorrow
from those who ought to make him rejoice.
(2) He had done so because he was confident that his
joy was their joy — his visit was to be enjoyed by
all.
d) He told them about the nature and purpose of his
writing (First Corinthians).
( 1 ) He wrote it out of affliction, anguish of heart, and
many tears.
( 2 ) He did so not to cause sorrow, but that they might
know of his abundant love for them.
2. He explained his attitude toward the one who had caused
the sorrow (5-11).
a) He explained his reasons for this attitude (5-7).
( 1 ) He had caused sorrow not to Paul alone but, in part,
to all.
(2) His punishment at the hand of the many was suffi-
cient.
( 3 ) It was Paul's judgment that he should be forgiven
lest he be overcome by his sorrow.
b) He appealed to them to let the one who caused the sor-
row know of their forgiveness (8-11).
( 1 ) He urged them to confirm their love for him.
(2) He had written (in First Corinthians) to put them
to the test, that is, to see whether or not they would
obey him in all things.
(3) He joined with them in forgiving this one for
their sakes in the presence of Christ.
35
II CORINTHIANS
(4) Such forgiveness would prevent Satan from gaining
the advantage over them.
(5) He gave his reasons for this appeal: We are not
ignorant of Satan's thoughts.
3. He explained why he left Troas and went to Macedonia
(12-13).
a) The move to Troas.
( 1) It was for the gospel of Christ.
(2) There a door was opened for him in the Lord.
b) The move to Macedonia.
( 1 ) He had found no relief for his anxiety over Corinth.
(2) He had not found Titus.
B. Paul interrupted the account of his search for Titus with an
expression of thanks to God for Triumph in Christ (14-17).
1. His thanksgiving: (14).
a) For His continuous leading in triumph in Christ.
b) For His making manifest through His messengers the
savor of His knowledge in every place.
2. His explanation: (15-l6a).
a) The messengers are a sweet savor of Christ unto God.
b) The message is true with reference to those who are
saved and those who perish.
c) In one it is a message from death unto death, and the
other from life unto life.
3. His question: (l6b-17).
a) Who is adequate for these things?
b) "We are," is his implied answer.
c) The reason for this answer:
(1) We are not as the many corrupting the Word of
God.
(.2) We speak with sincerity in the sight of God in
relation to Christ.
Further Explanation of the Deferred Visit
Scripture
2:1-4. But I determined this for myself, ^that I would not come
again to you with sorrow. 2 Eor if I make you sorry, who then is he
that maketh me glad but he that is made sorry by me? 3 And I
wrote this very thing, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from
them of whom I ought to rejoice; haying confidence in you all, that
36
CHAPTER TWO 2:1
my joy is the joy of you all. 4 For out of much affliction and anguish
of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be
made sorry, but that ye might know the love which I have more
abundantly unto you.
Comments
But I determined this for myself, — Putting the Corinthians first in
his consideration, Paul explained that he had deferred his visit for
their salces, that is, to spare them the embarrassment of his having to
reprove them upon his arrival at Corinth. He had left the choice
up to them when he wrote I Cor. 4:21. Would they have him come
with a rod or in the spirit of gentleness and love? But he also had a
personal reason: he did not want to come again with sorrow.
This raises the question about the number of visits Paul made to
Corinth. Acts records only two: the first, when the church was
established at Corinth, and a second which lasted three months
before setting sail for Syria. See Acts 18:1, 20:1-3. But in II Cor.
12:14 and 13:1 he mentions a third coming. In 13:2 he speaks of
the second time when he was present with them. In 2 : 1 he says that
he was determined not to come again with sorrow.
Various attempts have been made to harmonize all these references.
The consensus is that Paul actually made at least three visits to
Corinth, one of which is not mentioned in the book of Acts. This is
the supposed sorrowful visit which, according to the theory, he made
after writing First Corinthians and before writing II Corinthians.
These problems are interesting, but they do not affect the doctrine
of the epistles of Paul or the history which Luke records in Acts.
The Corinthians to whom Paul wrote these letters were fully aware
of the number of times he had visited them as well as the number
of letters he had written to them. We must also remember that it was
not Luke's purpose to give every detail of every event in the journies
of Paul. It is possible, however, to harmonize all the known facts
without assuming that Paul made three visits to Corinth. The prob-
lem is with the number two visit — the so-called sorrowful one. A
possible solution is found in I Cor. 5:3-4. There Paul declares that
although he was absent in body he was present in spirit when they
were gathered together in the name of our Lord Jesus to deliver the
offending brother to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the
spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. That most cer-
tainly was a sorrowful experience for Paul, as much so as if he had
actually been present in the flesh. He knew all the facts of the case;
37
2:1-3 II CORINTHIANS
he understood the seriousness of the situation; he was aware of the
fact that the man might not repent; he was also certain that this
action was the only thing that could possibly bring him to his senses
and cause him to change his way before it was too late. The reference
in II Cor. 13:2 to the second visit is very similar to his remarks in
I Cor. 5 : 3-4. Although we must admit that he does not say that he
was present the second time in spirit, the footnote in ASV which
reads "as if I were present the second time, even though I am now
absent," lends some support to the view.
if I make you sorry. — -The gospel which Paul preached was not in-
tended to make people sorry, except those who were guilty of sin.
Paul, of course, did not hesitate to tell the truth about sin even
though it might make some sorry. Such sorrow was intended to
lead them to repentance which would bring salvation. See II Cor.
7:8-10.
The angel who announced the birth of Christ said, "Behold I
bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all the
people." When Philip preached Christ in Samaria there was much
joy in the city. See Acts 8:4-12. Paul wrote to the Philippians call-
ing them his joy and his crown. See Phil. 4:1. Jesus spoke of the
joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. The Ethiopian went on
his way rejoicing after Philip had preached Christ to him and had
baptized him into Christ. See Acts 8:39. Paul was eager to have
the Corinthians overcome their sinful practices through obedience
to the instructions he had written to them that his next visit might
be one of rejoicing.
who then is he that maketh me glad.— The Corinthian Christians who
were his children in the gospel were a source of real joy to Paul.
John held the same view toward those whom he had taught. He
said, "Greater joy have I none than this, to hear of my children
walking in the truth" (II John 4). If it should become necessary
for Paul to reprove the Corinthians when he visited them again, it
would mean that the one whose heart had been gladdened by them
was causing them sorrow. He did not want this to happen, for he
was looking forward to a joyful meeting with the saints of God.
And I wrote this very thing. — Paul had explained in his first epistle
that he was not writing to shame them but rather to admonish
them as his children. There was still another reason: The delay had
given them time to think about their sinful ways and to correct
them.
This raises the issue of the number of letters Paul wrote to the
38
CHAPTER TWO 2:3,4
Corinthian church. Opinions vary. Some assume that he had written a
"lost epistle" before writing First Corinthians. See I Cor. 5:9. See
comment on this issue in Studies in First Corinthians. Others assume
that the section from II Cor. 6:14 to 7:1 was originally a part of a
"harsh letter" which somehow became incorporated into this epistle.
Still others assume that chapters ten through twelve of this epistle
were originally part of some letter which Paul had written at another
time to defend his apostleship.
A careful reading of Second Corinthians, however, reveals a very
definite plan into which every part of this letter fits perfectly. Those
who object to the sharp contrast between the expression of Paul's
affection and his strong warning about being unequally yoked with
unbelievers as seen in chapter six, fail to see that such contrasts are
to be found frequently in Paul's writings. See Galatians five for die
contrast between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the spirit.
Second Corinthians is exactly what one would expect it to be in
view of the deep concern Paul had for the church at Corinth. He
expresses his heartfelt concern for those who were guilty of sin. But
he turned to the opposite, expressing great hope and confidence and
joy as he thought of the recovery — repentance — of God's people
from those things that had disgraced them.
The absence of any manuscript evidence to the contrary leaves
us with the conclusion that Paul wrote only two epistles to the Cor-
inthians. The discovery, even at this late date, of another genuine
epistle of Paul to the Corinthians would show that he wrote more
than two epistles, but, since he always wrote under the direction of
the Holy Spirit, we can rest assured that it would in no way affect
the doctrinal issues of the two letters which we know he did write to
them. While some may find it worthwhile to spend time in these
speculative things, it would seem that for the most of us, it would be
better to spend our time learning those all important lessons which
are so clearly presented in these letters that by the providence of
God have come down to us with their solutions for problems which
we face in this very day.
of whom I ought to rejoice. — Paul's hope for rejoicing depended on
their obedience to the word which he had written to them. More
than that, he was confident that they would, for the most part, obey
the message of Christ which he as the inspired apostle had written
to them. That would mean not only joy for Paul but for all the
brethren at Corinth.
1 wrote unto you with many tears. — The distress and anguish of the
39
2:4,5 II CORINTHIANS
apostle can be seen in his first letter. He was distressed that their
sinful divisions were destroying the temple of God. It was with
anguish of heart that he wrote to them to deliver to Satan the
brother who was guilty of immoral conduct, the like of which was
not even found among pagans. His tears stained the manuscript of
First Corinthians — those stains were evident to all who had the
privilege of seeing it-^as he thought about the tragic divisions that
made it impossible for them to keep the Lord's Supper. His deep
concern for them caused him to show them the more excellent way
of love to counteract their strife over spiritual gifts that had been
given them for the purpose of building up the body of Christ. He
was distressed that some of them were denying the very foundation
of the faith by denying the fact of the resurrection.
that ye might know the love.— It was his love for them that caused
his concern Over the low state of affairs in the church at Corinth. As
he considered the height to which they could rise by obeying the
Word of Christ, he boldly declared his overflowing love for them.
The One Who Caused Sorrow
Scripture
2:5^11. But if any hath caused sorrow, he hath caused sorrow,
hot to me, but in part (that I press not too heavily) to you all.
6 Sufficient to such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by*
the many; 7 so that contrariwise ye should rather forgive him and
comfort- him, let s by any means such a one should be swallowed up
with, his overmuch sorrow 8 Wherefore I beseech you to confirm
your love toward him. 9 For to this end also did I write, that I might
know the proof of you; whether ye are obedient in all things. 10 But
to whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also: for what I also have,
forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, for your sakes have I forgiven
it in the presence of Christ; 11 that no advantage may be gained
over us by Satan: for we are not ignorant of his, devices. r
Comments >
if any hath caused sorrow. — Paul does not name the offending one,'
but the Corinthians knew who he was, and that is all that really
matters. Our concern, of course, is with the restoration of the erring
one. Since Paul chose to leave his identity undisclosed, we may'
assume that the principles involved in the case may be applied to any
individual in the church who may become involved in sin.
40
CHAPTER TWO 2:5
There has been a great deal of speculation as to the identity of
the offending party as well as the one offended. The case of the
guilty party mentioned in I Cor. 5:1 corresponds to all the issues
mentioned in this chapter. The instruction which Paul gave in that
case should be carefully reviewed as we undertake the study of what
he says here. These points should be noted: ( 1 ) the man was guilty
of sinful conduct the like of which would not be tolerated even by
pagans; (2) the church had neglected to take action in correcting
the matter; (3) Paul, though absent, had written to them instructions
to be followed which were as binding as if he had actually been
present in their assembly; (4) his decision as the inspired apostle
of Christ was that such a one must be delivered to Satan for the
destruction of the flesh in order that the spirit might be saved in
the day of the Lord Jesus Christ; (5) when the church came to-
gether in the name of the Lord Jesus, they were to carry out this
order.
While Paul's instruction was intended to bring about repentance
on the part of the sinner, the present chapter indicates what should
be done by the church when they discovered that the man had re-
pented. The course to pursue in the case of the restoration of an erring
brother is indicated in various places of the New Testament, for
example, Paul's instruction to the Galations, "Brethren, even if a
man be overtaken in any trespass, ye who are spiritual restore such
a one in the spirit of gentleness, looking to thyself lest thou also be
tempted" (Gal. 6:1). Simon the sorcerer is another example. He
had believed Philip's preaching and had been baptized and con-
tinued with Philip. Subsequently when he saw that by the laying on
of the apostles' hands the power to perform miracles was given, he
offered them money that he might buy the power to do that very
thing himself. "But Peter said unto him, thy silver perish with thee
because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money.
Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter for thy heart is not
right before God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness and pray
the Lord if perhaps the thought of thy heart shall be forgiven thee"
(Acts 8:20-22). James also has a word to say on the subject: "My
brethren if any among you err from the truth and one convert him,
let him know that he who converteth a sinner from the error of his
way shall have a soul from death and shall cover a multitude of
sins" (James 5:19-20). John indicates not only the procedure, but
the means of accomplishing this desired end. "If we confess our
sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and to cleanse
41
2:5-7 II CORINTHIANS
us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9). Then he proceeds to
say: "My little children these things write I unto you that ye ma/
not sin; and if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins
and not for ours only but also for the whole world" (I John 2:1-2).
To sum up, the erring brother is to (1) repent, that is to make up
his mind that he is not going to continue in the same sin. See
Rom. 6:1-12; I John 3:9- If God's Word abides in a man, that is,
becomes the ruling principle of his life, he cannot go on sinning
for sin is the violation of the Word of God. (2) The erring sinner is
called upon to make confession of his sin* not to man, but to God,
for He alone can dictate the condition upon which the sin is to be
removed. His Word makes it very clear that it is the blood of Christ
that cleanses one's conscience from dead works to serve the living
God. See Heb. 9:14.
not to me. — Paul had already indicated that the conditions in the
church in Corinth had caused him distress and anguish of heart.
The individual, however, of whom he now speaks had caused sorrow;
not merely to Paul, but, in a measure, to the whole church. He said
that the sorrow was caused "in part" that he might not press his
charge too heavily on this man, for there were some who assumed
the arrogant attitude that it was possible for one in the church to
indulge in such conduct with impunity. The embarrassment and
shame must have been felt by all with exception of a very few.
Responsible leaders in the church who should have led in correcting
the sin had become "puffed up" Over their positions and had failed
to take proper action in that tragic case.
sufficient to such a one is his punishment. — The punishment men-
tioned in I Cor. 5:3'5 was severe. The guilty one was to be de-
livered to Satan, that is, left entirely to the company of Satan. Paul
explicitly stated that the church members were not to get mixed up
with the brother who was guilty of such sinful conduct. They were
to do nothing that in any way would give anybody the impression
that the church approved what he was doing. >
by the many. — It is very plain that there were some diehards in the
church at Corinth that did not obey Paul's instruction. Many did
obey and their action brought the desired result, that is, the sinner
was brought to repentance. The negligent leaders of the church had
been reminded of their responsibility and had acted to clear the
church of this sinful situation. )
forgive him and comfort him. — Jesus told about the case of the un-
42
CHAPTER TWO 2:7-10
forgiving servant. "And his lord called him unto him and said to
him, Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt because thou
besoughtest me. Shouldest not thou also have had mercy on thy
fellow-servant even as I had mercy on thee? And his lord was
wroth and delivered him to the tormentors until he should pay all
that was due. So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you if ye
forgive not everyone his brother from your hearts" (Matt. 18:32-35 ) .
Paul wrote to the Ephesians saying, "be ye kind to one another,
tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ
forgave you" (Eph. 4:32).
God Himself sets the standard of forgiveness, when He says, "And
their sins I will remember no more" (Heb. 8:12).
swallowed up by his overmuch sorrow. — The failure on the part of
the church to forgive the erring brother would ruin the whole purpose
of the remedial action recommended by the apostle.
confirm your love toward him. — This unfeigned love of the brethren
must proceed from the heart. See I Pet. 1:22. Remembering what
some of them had been before becoming Christians, it should not
have been hard for them to forgive and show love toward the brother
who had repented. See I Cor. 6:9-11. For a definition of exactly
what Paul means by love see I Cor. 13:4-8. Among other things
"love is kind." This is exactly the attitude which he now suggests
that they should take toward the man who had repented of his sin.
to this end also did I write. — He had given instructions in I Cor.
5:1-13 for dealing with a situation just like this. His closing word
was, "Put away the wicked man from among yourselves." He wrote
it putting them to the test whether or not they would obey the in-
struction given by the inspired apostle of Christ in all things. The
man had been punished; he had responded to the corrective measures
taken by the church; he was now to be forgiven. As they had joined
■with Paul in the punishment, so they were now urged to join with
him in forgiving the one who had repented.
for your sakes, in the presence of Christ. — What had been done to
cause Paul sorrow was inconsequential as compared to the sin against
the body of Christ. What he now recommends was for the sake of
the church as indicated by this: "that no advantage be gained over
us by Satan." Forgiveness and reinstatement into the fellowship of
the church was the only way to prevent Satan from recapturing
this brother because of his sorrow in being cut off from the saints of
God. How often has the failure to forgive on the part of the breth-
ren given the advantage to Satan!
43
2:11,12 II CORINTHIANS
for we are not ignorant of his devices.— -Many are the schemes by
which Satan seeks to destroy the work of the church of God. Some
of them are: (1) an unforgiving attitude which replaces brotherly
love; (2) division over party loyalty of men that replaces the
unity that should be expressed in loyalty to Christ; (3) worldliness
that brings the church into disrepute that should be replaced by a
life of purity and consecration to the Lord Jesus Christ; (4) the
works of the flesh (Gal. 5 : 19-21 ) that should be replaced by the fruit
of the spirit (Gal. 5:22-24); (5) the garments of sin which should
be replaced by the garments of Christian character and conduct
(Col. 3:5-17).
One of the most subtle of all of Satan's schemes is the substitution
of, human wisdom for the revealed wisdom of God in the Bible.
"For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wis-
dom knew not God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolish-
ness of preaching to save them that believe" (I Cor. 1:21).
Paul says "we are not ignorant of his devices." The only sure
way for us not to fall victims to them is to study God's Word until
we know what He says and with deep convictions seek to put it into
practice in our daily lives. However alluring Satan's schemes may
appear to be, we must be on guard against those systems which bor-;
row the techniques and procedures from the very Word of God but
fail to point sinners to the only One who can forgive them and to
the only remedy that blots out sin, the blood of Christ.
< Troas to Macedonia
Scripture
2:12-13. Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ, and
when a door was opened unto me in the Lord, 13 I had no relief for
my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave
of them, I went forth into Macedonia.
Comments
■when I came to Troas. --r-The record in Acts shows that Paul was iri
Troas on two different occasions, neither of which corresponds to the
one he mentions here. According to Acts, he first came to Troas on
his second missionary journey after having been, forbidden by the
Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia, While at Troas, he had a
vision of the man of Macedonia who said "Come over into Macedonia
44
CHAPTER TWO 2:12,13
and help us" (Acts 16:6-10). He stopped at Troas again on his third
journey, spending about a week there in fellowship with the church.
On the first day of the week they gathered together to break bread,
and Paul preached to them. He continued his speech until midnight
intending to leave the next day. Eutychus went to sleep and fell
from the third story and was taken up dead. After the miracle of
bringing him back to life, Paul took leave of the brethren and con-
tinued his journey to Jerusalem.
Paul reminded the Corinthians of another brief stopover at Troas
not reported in Acts. In his eagerness to learn from Titus about con-
ditions in Corinth, he had gone to Troas hoping to find Titus. Failing
to do so, he went on to Macedonia where he did meet him and re-
ceived his report.
for the gospel of Christ. — In all his travels, Paul's only purpose was
to proclaim the gospel of Christ. His mission was to tell the good
news concerning Christ.
when a door was opened, — Paul had reminded the Corinthians of his
intention to remain at Ephesus until Pentecost for a great and effec-
tual door was open to him for the preaching of the gospel, and there
were many adversaries. Again at Troas, he found an opportunity to
preach the gospel awaiting him.
I had no relief for my spirit. — Why did the Lord allow Paul to
suffer anxiety over the situation at Corinth because of the lack of
information? Why didn't He send an angel or give him direct reve-
lation through the Holy Spirit? There are basic reasons why this
was not done: Miraculous communication was used (1) to reveal
the truth of the gospel (I Cor. 2:6-16), and (2) to give direction to
the preachers of this inspired message in the apostolic period. For
example, an angel spoke to Philip and told him to leave Samaria
and go to the Gaza road where he met the Ethiopian. There the
Spirit told him to join the chariot. He preached Jesus to the man who
was reading from Isaiah. Paul himself had been under immediate
direction of the Holy Spirit as he went through the country before
coming to Troas the first time. Following his arrest in Jerusalem,
while in prison, the Lord told him that as he had borne witness for
Him in Jerusalem so he must also bear witness in Rome. See Acts
23:11. The Holy Spirit, of course, had directed him as he wrote
to the Corinthians giving them instruction about their problems. But
it was their responsibility to act upon that information and correct
their problems. The principle is clear: Miraculous guidance and in-
formation was given in connection with the preaching of the gospel
45
2:13 II CORINTHIANS
in the absence of the written Word. But communication between the
apostle and established congregations followed this procedure: When
the apostles directed their letters to the churches, the letters were
written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Information regarding
the reception of the message depended on the presence of the apostle
himself or someone such as Titus, in this case, or Timothy, on another
occasion, to report to the apostle on the situation in the church. One
of the burdens which Paul bore throughout his entire ministry was
"anxiety for all the churches" (11:28).
I found not Titus, my brother.— -Timothy probably figured more prom-
inently in the ministry of Paul than Titus. But Paul's affection for
Timothy seems also to have been shared by Titus, whom he calls
"my true child after a common faith" (Titus 1:4). Paul had trusted
him with a very important mission in Crete, where he was to set
things in order and appoint elders in every city. See Titus 1:5.
Titus is mentioned in Paul's last letter to Timothy as having
been associated with him in his imprisonment in Rome (II Tim.
4:10). Perhaps the greatest tribute. paid to Titus is the mission on
which he was sent to Corinth to learn, of their reception of Paul's in-
struction regarding their many problems and to return with that
news. This he ultimately did and gladdened Paul's heart with it. An
important tribute is paid to him in connection with his role in gath-
ering funds for the sufferers in Jerusalem. Of him Paul wrote
"Whether any inquire about Titus, he is my partner and my fellow
worker to youward" (II Cor, 8:23). See also Paul's tribute of the
work of Titus in II Cor. 7:5-16. Titus figured in the solution of an
important issue among the Galatian churches. Some had insisted that
Gentile Christians be required to keep the Jewish custom of circum-
cision. Paul laid the matter before the brethren in Jerusalem but not
even Titus who was a Greek was compelled to be circumcised. Gen-
tiles did not have to become Jews in order to be Christians. The gos-
pel was open to Jew or Gentile on the basis of faith expressed in
obedience to the commands of the Lord Jesus Christ. See Gal. 2:
1-10.
J went forth into Macedonia. — Since there was an open door of oppor-
tunity to preach the gospel at Troas, the question comes: Why did
Paul leave Troas and go into Macedonia to find Titus in order to
learn what had happened in Corinth? There is no indication that
the Lord had instructed him to do so. However, Paul did everything
taking into consideration this principle: "If the Lord permit." This
decision evidently had to be made on the basis of his own consecrated
46
CHAPTER TWO 2:13,14
Christian thinking with purpose in mind to serve the Lord in caring
for "all the churches." His decision to leave Troas and go into Mace-
donia would easily lead the Corinthians to understand his deep con-
cern and Christian love for them. To save that church, it seems, was
the more important of the two issues that confronted him. This in
no way suggests that Paul left Troas without doing something about
the promotion of the cause of Christ in that city. That the opportunity
was not ignored is indicated by the fact that when he came back to
Troas on his third journey he met with the brethren, spending a week
in their fellowship and preaching the Word.
Triumph In Christ
Scripture
2: 14-17. But thanks be unto God, who always leadeth us in triumph
in Christ, and maketh manifest through us the savor of his knowl-
edge in every place. 15 For we are a sweet savor of Christ unto God,
in them that are saved, and in them that perish; 16 to the one a
savor from death unto death; to the other a savor from life unto
life. And who is sufficient for these .things? 17 For we are not as
the many, corrupting the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of
God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ.
Comments
But thanks be unto God. — Paul began this letter with an expression
of praise to God for His mercy and comfort which had been shown
him in all his afflictions. Having reminded his readers that he had
gone into Macedonia, he turned to the expression of thanks to God
for his triumphant ministry in Christ. It is not until 7:5 that he tells
about finding Titus in Macedonia and learning what had happened
in Corinth. Some speak of this as a long digression. The digression,
however, if there is one, is the brief reference to the fact that he had
not found Titus, and that when he did meet him he had learned the
truth about the Corinthians' situation.
leadeth us in triumph in Christ. — God who comforted him in Asia
led him in triumph in Christ in Macedonia and everywhere he went
in his ministry. The figure which Paul uses to describe this fact is
that of the victorious general leading his army in triumphal proces-
sion before the people. Some assume that Paul is thinking of him-
self as a captive of Christ having been taken captive on the Da-
47
2:14,15 II CORINTHIANS
mascus road. It is true that Paul refers to himself as the "prisoner
of the Lord," but in a different context. See Eph. 4:1. Captives, in the
triumphal Roman march were being displayed to the people just
before being put to death. The triumph which Paul referred to was the
victory God gave him in the gospel as an apostle of Christ wherever
he went-— Asia, Troas, Macedonia, and Corinth. Regardless of his
personal suffering, Paul thought only of victory for the gospel.
the savor of his knowledge in every place. — The gospel message
was one of. triumph over Satan. It told of God's power to save the
believer (Rom. 1:16). It told of the whole armor of God that en-
abled the Christian to stand against the wiles of the devil. With the
shield of faith they were able to quench all the fiery darts of the
evil one. See Eph. 6:10-18. The knowledge about God, as revealed
in Christ and preached by His apostles, was like the sweet smelling
fragrance of incense offered with the sacrifices -of the worshippers.
This fragrance accompanied those marching with the triumphant
general and his soldiers.
for we are a sweet savor of Christ, — The messengers as well as the
message, were acceptable in the sight of God. Their lives and their
work were like the sweet smelling fragrance that accompanied the
triumphal march.
in them that are saved and in them that perish. — The gospel message
is one of salvation for those who accept it, but one of destruction,
for those who reject it. Jesus said to the apostles, "Go ye into all
the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He that be-
lieveth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall
be condemned" (Mark 16:15-16). ,
a savor from death unto death. — This explains the fact that the gos-
pel message is One of salvation to the believer and destruction to the
one who rejects it* The expressions, "from death unto death" and
"from life unto life" have been understood in various. ways. It is
quite possible that we do not have the exact meaning of these in-
tensified forms. There can be no doubt about the fact that they refer,
to destruction on one hand and salvation on the other. "Death unto
death" may suggest endless death, and "life unto, life" eternal life,-
This lesson is clearly taught by Our Lord in these words, "and these
shall go away into eternal punishment but the righteous into eternal
life" (Matt. 25:46). The gospel deals with the death of Christ
which also indicates the death — that is, eternal separation from God
—of the one who remains in sin. It also deals with the life of Him
who arose from the dead, and depicts the eternal life of the one who
48
CHAPTER TWO 2:16,17
dies to sin with Him and is buried with Him through baptism into
death that he might arise to walk with Him in the new life.
and who is sufficient for these things? — Since the gospel deals with
eternal life and eternal death, the conscientious apostle raises the
question about the one who is adequate for the task of preaching
this gospel. He leaves no doubt in the minds of the readers, for he
immediately answers, "We are not as the many who corrupt the
word." In this he clearly implies that the apostles of Christ were ade-
quately equipped to preach this gospel message. It also suggests that
those who were claiming to be apostles but actually were false
apostles were not qualified. This was not idle boasting on the part
of Paul for he had already written "I am the least of the apostles
that am not meet to be called an apostle because I persecuted the
church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am and His
grace which was bestowed upon me was not found vain; but I la-
bored more abundantly than they all. Yet not I, but the grace of
God which was with me" (I Cor. 15:9-10).
corrupting the word of God. — The footnote in the American Stand-
ard Version reads, "making merchandise of the word of God." The
word actually refers to the corrupt practice of some merchants who
diluted their wares or in some manner falsely displayed them. Paul
says that some were handling the Word of God as if they were dis-
honest peddlers.
but as of sincerity, but as of God. — Paul who was an apostle through
the will of God declares his absolute sincerity in dealing with this
all important task of preaching the gospel of Christ. This was not
arrogant boasting for he was speaking in Christ.
Summary
Paul was waiting to find out about the response of the Corinthians
to his first letter before visiting them again. He had given them
specific directions in it about many things, among them what to do
with the man who had been living with his father's wife. A deferred
visit did not mean cancellation. He would come, as he had said in his
first letter, even if it meant using a rod of chastisement. But he had
decided to delay the coming so that he might not cause them sorrow.
They had gladdened his heart by their response to the gospel which
he preached to them. He wanted to give them time to correct any
disorder in their midst so that he might not cause them sorrow, for it
would be a painful thing for him to be forced to punish them.
49
2:1-17 II CORINTHIANS
Paul was confident that they would be looking forward to his
next visit with joy just as he was. It was true that he had written
them out of affliction and anguish of heart. Perhaps the very manu-
script was stained with his tears. But this was not intended to cause
them grief. As their father in the gospel, Paul wanted them to know
about his genuine love for them.
The brother who had done wrong had not caused sorrow to Paul
alone, but, in part, to all of them. They had acted upon his instruction
in the first letter— he had learned this from Titus — and had "de-
livered him to Satan." The remedy, though severe, was effective. The
man had repented. The next move was'up to them: they were to,
forgive him! Paul had, just as he had joined in administering the
punishment to the one who had sinned. Forgiveness was necessary tq
defeat Satan's scheme to keep the brother in his clutches forever. An
unforgiving attitude on their part would serve his purpose just as
well as the temptation that had led the man to sin in the first place.
Paul was not ignorant of Satan's schemes, nor did he want the breth-
ren at Corinth to be.
Paul had gone to Troas, hoping to learn from Titus what the
church had done about correcting their many sins. He was writing
this second letter, of course, after he had met Titos in Macedonia,: but
he wanted the brethren to know of his deep concern over the situa-t
tion at Corinth. That is why, even though he had a wonderful oppor-
tunity to further the gospel in Troas, he went to Macedonia. They
could not fail to see his great anxiety over them that resulted from
his sincere love f or them.
The Corinthians were aware of the meeting with Titus in Mace-
donia, although Paul did not actually mention it until after he had.
written a somewhat lengthy explanation of the triumphant min-
istry in which the Lord had led him everywhere. No personal grief,:
no joy that ever came to him stirred him more deeply than the aware-
ness that it was God who always led him in triumph in Christ. Hisi
thanksgiving knew no limits as he thought of the privilege that had
been given to him to be a messenger of the gospel that had been?
accepted everywhere he had preached it. •
The ministry of Paul was like a sweet smelling fragrance of Christ
unto God. The message was also acceptable to God as it brought
salvation to those who believed, even though some chose to perish
because of disobedience. God's love was so great that He gave His
Son to die for them that they might live through Him.
Who was adequate for the task of carrying such a message? Un-
50
CHAPTER TWO
flinchingly, Paul indicated, "We are." He gave two reasons for his
response to the staggering task of preaching the gospel that brought
salvation to those who obeyed it and destruction to those that rejected
it. He was not guilty of diluting the message of God. With complete
sincerity, knowing that God was watching every move he made, he
was preaching the message of Christ.
Questions
1. How many times did Paul visit Corinth?
2. Why had he postponed his coming to see them?
3. How had he caused diem sorrow?
4. How had they gladdened his heart?
5. What was his purpose in writing to them as indicated by I Cor.
4:14?
6. What are some of the ways in which the gospel message brings
joy?
7. How many letters did Paul write to the Corinthians?
8. Instead of causing him tears, what did Paul have a right to ex-
pect from the brethren at Corinth?
9. What was it that had caused him such anguish of heart?
10. What was Paul's purpose in telling them about his sorrow?
11. Why didn't Paul name the one who had caused the sorrow?
12. How does the case of the one mentioned in the fifth chapter of
First Corinthians fit this situation? ■
13. What do the Scriptures say about the responsibility of Chris-
tians toward an erring brother?
14. What do they say that the erring one should do?
15. To whom besides Paul had this one caused sorrow?
16. Was the church unanimous in believing that this one had caused
them sorrow?
17. How had the majority reacted to the direction which Paul had
given for punishing the guilty one?
18. What was that punishment? What was its purpose?
19- Since the guilty person had repented, what was the church to
do?
20. What did Jesus say about those who fail to forgive?
21. What did Paul say might happen to him if the church failed to
forgive?
22. How were they to show their love for the one who had re-
pented?
51
II CORINTHIANS
23. What advantage would Satan gain through an unforgiving atti-
tude on their part?
24. Why did Paul say, "We are not ignorant of his devices"?
25. What are some of the ways in which Satan destroys the work
of the church of God? -
26. Why did Paul go to Troas?
27. What opportunity for the gospel did he find there?
28. What indication is there that he did not overlook this, even
though he left Troas and went to Macedonia to find Titus?
29. What did his going on to Macedonia reveal to the Corinthians
about Paul's attitude toward them?
30. Why didn't Paul receive direct communication from God about
the issues in Corinth instead of his having to wait until Titus
reported to him?
31. What limit did God put on direct communication to the mes-
sengers of the gospel?
32. What did Paul think of Titus?
33. Why did Paul break off the description of his anxiety without
saying whether or not he had met Titus in Macedonia?
34. What did he thank God for?
35. How could every effort of the apostle, even when the gospel
was rejected by some, be thought of as triumph in Christ?
36. With what familiar custom did Paul describe his triumphant
ministry for Christ?
37. To what did he liken the knowledge about Christ?
38. How did he indicate that Christ's messengers were also accept-
able to God?
39. With what two issues does the gospel message deal?
40. What did Paul mean when he asked* "Who is sufficient for
these things"?
41. What made him adequate for the task of preaching the gospel?
42. What may this have suggested as to the false apostles who were
troubling the Corinthians?
43. What figure did Paul have in mind when he spoke of those
who were corrupting the Word?
44. By contrast, what did Paul say of his own sincerity?
For Discussion
1. What are some of the subtle ways in which Satan may be
destroying the effectiveness of the church today?
2. What can the church do today to avoid misrepresenting the
message of the gospel?
52
CHAPTER THREE
Analysis
Paul answered the anticipated charge of self-commendation
(1-11).
1. He asked two questions (1).
a) Are we beginning again to commend ourselves?
b) Do we, as do some, need letters of commendation to you
or from you?
2. He gave two answers (2-11).
a) As seen in his relation to the Corinthians (2-3).
(1) They are his epistle of commendation (2).
(a) This epistle is written in his heart.
(b) It is known and read of all men.
(2) They are also an epistle of Christ (3).
(a) It is evident that they are an epistle of Christ.
(b) The service of writing was done by Paul.
(c) This involves a two-fold contrast.
i) It was written not with ink but with the
Spirit of the living God.
ii) It was not in tables of stone but in tables
that are hearts of flesh.
b) As seen in his glorious ministry under the New Cov-
enant in contrast to the glory of Moses' ministry under the
Old Covenant (4-11).
(1) The source of his sufficiency under the New Cov-
enant is God (4-6).
(a) His confidence toward God was in Christ.
(b) He explained that in himself he was not ade-
quate for the task (5a).
(c) His fitness was from God who made him a
minister of the New Covenant (5b-6a).
(d) Characteristics of the New Covenant (6b).
i) Not of letter but of spirit.
ii) The letter kills; the spirit gives life.
(2) The contrast between the glory of the Old and New
Covenants justifies his glorious ministry (7-11).
(a) Contrasted as a ministry of death and a min-
istry of spirit (7-8).
i) The ministry of death (Old Covenant)
53
II CORINTHIANS
written on stones was with glory so that
Israel could not look upon the face of
Moses,
ii) The ministry of the spirit (New Covenant)
is with glory, is it not?
(b) Contrasted as a ministry of condemnation and
of righteousness (9-10).
i) The glory of the ministry of righteousness
(the New Covenant) exceeds that of con-
demnation (Old Covenant).
ii) The glory of condemnation (Old Cov-
enant) is as nothing compared to the sur-
passing glory of the ministry of the New
Covenant.
(c) Conclusion from the contrast: If that which
passes away (Old Covenant) was with glory,
much more that which remains (New Cov-
enant) is with glory.
B. Paul explained the reason for his great boldness of speech (12-
18).
1. As seen in the contrast between him and Moses (12-13).
a) His hope in the abiding glory of the New Covenant was
the basis of his great boldness of a speech (12).
b) Moses, on the other hand, put a veil over his face to
prevent Israel from seeing the end of the fading glory
on his face (13).
2. As seen in the contrast between those who were; reading the
Old Covenant and those who turned to the Lord ( 14-15 ) .
a) Their minds were hardened at the reading of the Old
Covenant because they were unaware that the veil was
taken away m Christ (14).
b) Even in Paul's day wherever Moses was read the veil
lay on their hearts (15).
3. As seen in the result of turning to the Lord (16-18).
a) The veil is taken away.
b) The Lord is (identified with) the spirit-covenant (See
verses 6 and 8 ASV).
c) Where the spirit-covenant of the Lord is, there is liberty.
d) Transformation results from looking into the glory of
the Lord (as seen in the spirit-covenant).
(1) This is to be done with unveiled face as we look
54
CHAPTER THREE 3:1
into the mirror— the New Covenant or spirit-
covenant — where we see the glory of the Lord.
(2) The transformation is into the same image from
glory to glory — from the Lord of the spirit-cov-
enant.
Self-commendation
Scripture
3:1. Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? or need we,
as do some, epistles of commendation to you or from you?
Comments
Are we beginning again to commeni ourselves. — Paul had just writ-
ten of the glorious triumph of the messengers of Christ and also of
the message itself which had to do with eternal life and eternal death.
He had indicated that he was adequate for this ministry. In his re-
lationship to Christ as an inspired apostle, he spoke the Word of
God with all sincerity. He did not make merchandise of it as some
had done. The whole chapter is an explanation of his fitness for the
task.
As he often does in his writings, Paul anticipated possible charges
of self-commendation. He was well aware of the arrogance of some
people at Corinth. See I Cor. 4:18. He knew of those who were
bringing false charges against him. See II Cor. 10:10. The message
of the Word of God was of such importance to the apostle Paul
that he wanted to make sure that the Corinthians would not make
the mistake oi assuming that what he was writing was idle boasting
about his own powers and abilities.
epistles of commendation. — There is certainly a place for letters of
commendation. Paul had written many words of commendation about
his fellow-workers, Timothy and Titus. In writing to the Philippians
about Timothy, he had said, "for I have no man likeminded who
will care truly for your state for they all seek their own and not
the things of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 2:20-21). The closing words of
First Corinthians contain words of commendation about some of the
brethren who were also well known to the Corinthians. Paul wrote
to the Romans commending Phoebe whom he calls, "our sister who
is a servant of the church that is in Cenchrea." He urged them to
treat her in a manner befitting the saints and to assist her in what-
55
3:1,2 II CORINTHIANS
ever matter she might have need" (Rom. 16:1-2). This faithful
saint had been a helper of many including the apostle Paul. In the
closing part of that epistle Paul mentioned a number of the brethren
whom he commended in various ways because; of their service in
the Lord. His commendation of Luke, the beloved physician, is found
in Col. 4:14. Mark, for some reason, had not completed the first
missionary journey with Paul and Barnabas. This became a matter
of sharp contention between them when they started on their second
journey. Paul refused to take Mark with him. Long afterwards, he
wrote to Timothy, saying, "Take Mark and bring him with thee for
he is useful to me for ministering" (II Tim. 4:11).
to you from you? — Paul may have had in mind the many who
were corrupting the Word of God and who may have brought
epistles of commendation of themselves so that they might become
established among the Corinthians. Paul knew about those who had
caused so much trouble among the Galatian churches. They had
come from James, but there is no good reason to assume that he had
approved what they were doing. See Gal. 2:12. In the light of James'
comments as reported in Acts 15 and Paul's investigation as given in
Galatians two, one might readily assume that their claims were false.
Paul needed no letter of commendation to the church at Corinth,
for he performed all the signs of an apostle in their midst. See II
Cor. 12:12. Neither did Paul need a letter of commendation from
them. He had written to them in First Corinthians saying, "If to
others I am riot an apostle, yet at least I am to you for the seal of
mine apostleship are ye in the Lord" (I Cor. 9:2). This point is
elaborated upon in the two-fold answer that follows.
Our Epistle
Scripture
3:2-3. Ve are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read
of all men; 3 being made manifest that ye are an epistle of Christ,
ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the
living God; not in tables of stone but in table that are hearts of
flesh.
, Comments
our epistle. — The reason he needed no letter from them is seen in
the fact that they actually were such a letter. They were his beloved
56
CHAPTER THREE 3:2,3
children in the gospel. See I Cor. 4:14-15. They had become Chris-
tians as a result of obedience to the gospel which Paul preached to
them. Despite the fact that conditions at Corinth were far from
what they should have been Paul was perfectly willing to risk his
reputation as an apostle of Christ upon the testimony of the Christian
character and conduct of those who were faithful to the Lord.
written in our hearts. — This letter was written in his mind, that is,
his understanding and his affections. He knew about the establish-
ment of the church for he was the first one to preach the gospel
there, and he had kept in touch with them through the household
of Chloe and through the letters which others had written asking
questions about their own problems. Paul had just laid bare his own
heart as he told them about his anguish and tears and sorrow over
those who had failed to come up to the proper standard of Christian
character and conduct. He also revealed his anticipated joy which
all were to share when he came to them again. The Corinthians knew
that he loved them and cared for them as a father for his beloved
children,
known and read of all men. — While this epistle was written in the
apostle's heart, he says that all men knew it and read it. This un-
doubtedly means that all who came in contact with the church in
Corinth knew of their relationship to Christ. They were also aware
of the fact that the apostle Paul had brought the gospel to them.
Corinth was a strategic point in which to establish the church, for
men from the known world came in and out of that city carrying on
their commerce. As they did so they learned about the church of
God which was at Corinth.
an epistle of Christ. — As men came to know the life of the church
at Corinth, despite all the sordid things that were known about
some of them, it became evident that they were an epistle of Christ.
A comparison of what they were before and after conversion is given
in I Cor. 6:9-11. To see such people after their sins had been washed
away by the blood of the Lamb, and to hear them boldly tell of their
forgiveness in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ must have made a
profound impression on the minds of all who came in contact with
them.
ministered by us. — Paul had likened his ministry among them to
one who planted and that of Apollos to one who watered. He had
served as the masterbuilder to lay the foundation, but another had
built upon it. Now he says, "Ye are an epistle which Christ wrote."
Paul was the servant of Christ through whom the writing had been
57
3:3 II CORINTHIANS
done. But this was said in humility, not self -commendation, for it
was the grace of God that had made it possible for him to serve in
this capacity. See I Cor. 15:10.
written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God. — Paul
now contrasts the letter which Christ had written— the New Cove-
nant — with the Old Covenant. The epistle of Christ had not been
written with ink, for it was not just a piece of parchment with words
written upon it. It was written with the Spirit of the living God
through the inspired apostle. It was the message of life unto life
and death unto death. It could be read,, by all those who saw the
changed character and conduct of the church at Corinth. In writing
to the Corinthians, Paul had made it clear that his message had been
the testimony of God about Jesus Christ and Him crucified. He had
not spoken the wisdom of men, but the wisdom that had been re-
vealed to him by the Holy Spirit. See I Cor. 2:1-2, 10-13.
not in tables of stone, but in tables that are hearts of flesh. — "Tables
of stone" suggest the Old Covenant, that is, the Ten Commandments.
See Ex. 34:28-29; Deut. 4:13. "Hearts of flesh" suggest the New
Covenant. See Jer. 31:31-34 as quoted in Heb. 8:8-13. The essential
difference in the two is indicated by the fact that the New Covenant
became a living reality in the; lives and hearts of those who became
obedient to the gospel of Christ. This is the reason that the Corinthi-
ans were both an epistle of commendation of the apostle Paul and
an epistle which Christ had written through the ministry of His
inspired apostle.
Paul's Glorious Ministry Under the New Covenant
Scripture
3:4-11. And such confidence have we through Christ to God-ward:
not that we are sufficient of Ourselves, to account anything as from
ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God; 6 who also made us
sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the
spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 7 But if the
ministration of death, written, and engraven on stones, came with
glory, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly upon
the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which glory was passing
away: 8 how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with
glory? 9 For if the ministration of condemnation hath glory, much
rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10 For
verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made glori-
58
CHAPTER THREE 3:4-6
ous in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth. 11 For if
that which passeth away was with glory, much more that which re-
maineth is in glory.
Comments
And such confidence have we, — Despite the hardships which Paul
faced at Corinth, his ministry is characterized by confidence and
triumph. His confidence was through Christ, for he knew what
Christ had done for him. He knew of His resurrection which demon-
strated that He had conquered Satan. He had surrendered to the risen
Christ on the Damascus road. He had committed himself whole-
heartedly to the service of the Lord. He remembered that day when
Ananias told him to get himself baptized that his sins might be
washed away, because he had called upon the name of the Lord.
He had been summoned as an apostle of God. He was convinced
that the way of victory was through Jesus Christ. He was never
ashamed of Him nor of His gospel, for he was confident that it was
the power of God to save the believer, whether Jew or Greek.
our sufficiency is from God. — That is, it is God who made him ade-
quate for the task of preaching the Word that dealt with eternal
life and eternal death. God had revealed the message through the
Holy Spirit to the apostles and thus equipped them for the glorious
ministry under the New Covenant. No one without that divinely
revealed message could possibly undertake such a ministry.
How unfortunate that many who undertake the work of the minis-
try today seem called upon to substitute the wisdom of man for this
divinely revealed message of God. Paul's confidence in this message
is expressed in his word to Timothy, "Every scripture inspired of
God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction which is in righteousness that the man of God may be
complete, furnished completely unto every good work" (II Tim.
3:16-17). He did not hesitate to urge Timothy to preach the Word;
to be urgent in season, out of season; to reprove, rebuke, exhort
with all longsuffering and teaching. See II Tim. 4:2. The same divine
Word which Paul preached will equip the consecrated minister of
today who has the courage to preach this message of eternal life and
everlasting death.
ministers of the new covenant. — A covenant is an agreement. When
that covenant is between God and man, God Himself dictates all the
conditions of the covenant as well as the blessings involved in it.
Man agrees to the terms of the covenant in order to enjoy its blessings.
59
3:6 II CORINTHIANS
In the case of the Old Covenant which was given at Mt. Sinai, God
revealed the commandments to Moses. The people entered into the
covenant relationship when they said all that the Lord has spoken,
we will do. See Ex. 19:8. Subsequently, all who were born into the
family of the Jews were parties to that Old Covenant. Under the
New Covenant only those who are born of the water and of the
Spirit are parties to the New Covenant — a spiritual birth in contrast
to a physical birth.
The New Covenant is the gospel of Christ that promises remis-
sion of sins and eternal life to the believer whose faith is expressed
through obedience to the commandments of Christ. Every individual
who comes into this New Covenant relationship with Christ through
the new birth, publically and in the sight of God as he makes the
good confession, promises to be obedient to its terms and pledges
his allegience to Christ. To say that I believe that Jesus is the Christ
the Son of the Living God is to endorse all that is involved in ones
total relationship to God through Jesus Christ. As Christ, He is our
Prophet. Through His prophetic office the message of the Bible was
revealed from heaven. See Heb. 1:1-2. As Priest He shed blood for
the remission of sins. Significantly, in instituting the Lord's Supper, He
blessed the cup and said, "This is my blood of the new covenant
poured out for the many unto the remission of sins." As King, He
is seated at the right hand of the throne of God in fulfillment of the
promise of God made to David. See Acts 2:25-36. He exercises His
authority as well, as His watchcare over His people through the
inspired Word spoken through the apostles. All of those who pledge
themselves to keep the terms of the New Covenant must let the
Word of Christ dwell in them richly in all wisdom and teaching. See
Col. 3:16.
This New Covenant was given in promise to Abraham in the
Scripture which says, "In thee shall all the nations be blessed."
See Gal. 3:8. It was given to Abraham some four hundred and thirty
years before the covenant at Sinai, but was not annulled by that
covenant. See Gal. 3:16-17. It came to its fulness with the preaching
of the gospel on the Day of Pentecost. All those who accept its
terms become sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ, "for as
many as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Gal. 3:26-27).
Furthermore, "if you are Christ's, then are you Abraham's offspring
and heirs according to the promise" (Gal. 3:29).
God was a party to two covenants at the same time, but they
were not in conflict because they served different purposes. One
60
CHAPTER THREE 3:6
was with Abraham and Christ; the other, the Ten Commandments,
was with Israel. It was added, Paul says, because of transgression.
There was a time limit on it, for it was to last until the promised
seed of Abraham should come — that is, Christ. It served in the
capacity of a trusted slave who watched over a child until his
majority, and as such held sin in check until Christ came. But since
it was a law that could not make alive one who had died in sin, it
was necessary that the promise to Abraham be fulfilled in Christ
and be put into effect through the preaching of the apostles. On
the Day of Pentecost, the apostles told those who were guilty of
crucifying the Son of God to repent and be baptized for the remis-
sion of their sins, for the promise — that is, the promise God made
to Abraham — was to them and to their children and all that were
far off, as many as the Lord God should call unto Himself. See
Gal. 3:19-22; Acts 2;38-39.
not of letter but of spirit. — This expression is found three times in
Paul's writings: once in this epistle and twice in Romans. The first
instance in Romans is found in 2:29. There he uses "letter" as a
symbol of outward conformity to the Law that had been written on
the tables of stone. On the other hand, he uses "spirit" as a symbol
of the inward life of the individual, Jew or Gentile, who actually
carried out the provisions of the Law. Moses had written that the
one who actually carried out the righteousness which is of the Law
lived thereby. See Romans 10:5. Paul had said that not the hearers
of the Law but the doers of the Law shall be justified. See Rom.
2:13. Such persons showed the works of the Law written on their
hearts, that is, they understood what was right in God's sight and
willingly complied with it. This was not, as some have contended,
an impossible thing. Moses wrote, "This commandment which I com-
mand you this day is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is
not in heaven that you should say, 'Who will go up for us to
heaven that we may hear it and do it?' Neither is it beyond the sea
that you should say, "Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to
us that we may hear it and do it?' But the word is very near to you,
it is in your mouth and in your heart so that you can do it" (Deut.
30:11-14). John says, "This is the love of God that we keep this
commandment: and his commandments are not grievous" (I John
5:3).
The second instance in Romans is found in 7:6. The same basic
idea is seen in this context. Newness of spirit refers to the new life
in Christ which was characterized by intelligent, willing, loving
61
3:6 II CORINTHIANS
obedience to Him. Oldness of letter, on the other hand, referred to
the life under the jurisdiction of the Law. Because of violation of
the Law, life was characterized by sinful passions that brought forth
fruit unto death. In II Cor. 3:6, Paul uses "letter" as a symbol of the
Old Covenant just as he had done in Romans, and "spirit" as a
symbol of the life under the New Covenant. Keeping in mind Paul's
use of these terms will aid in interpreting 3:17-18.
Two further observations need to be made: (1) "letter" is not
contrasted with the Holy Spirit. Verse three plainly indicates that
the epistle of Christ had been written with the Holy Spirit, but in
verse six "spirit" (spelled with a small, "s") is used as a symbol of
the New Covenant; (2) There is no justification whatever for the
assumption that letter and spirit refer to a literal interpretation of
the Word of God as opposed to a so-called "spiritual" interpretation.
All of God's Word is "spirit and life" (John 6:63).
The Word is directed to intelligence of man and it appeals to his
heart. It shows the way to forgiveness and purity in Christ. It is life,
for obedience to it brings the gift of life eternal.
for the letter killeth but the spirit giveth life. — This unfortunately
has led some to assume that an attempt to actually obey God's Word
results in death. How can such a view be harmonized with what
James plainly says? "Wherefore putting away all filthiness and
overflowing of wickedness receive with meekness the implanted word
which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word and not
hearers only deluding your own selves" (James 1:21-22). Why then
did Paul say that the "letter killeth"? Remembering that letter stands
as a symbol of the Old Covenant, we may read "the Old Covenant
killeth." The answer to the problem is clearly indicated in the Scrip-
tures for Hebrews says that the Old Covenant gave place to the New
because God found fault with those under the Old Covenant. He
found fault with them because they continued not in His covenant.
See Heb. 8:7. Paul shows that by the works of the Law no human
being is pardoned in God's sight. See Rom. 3:20. By works of the
Law he has in mind those ceremonies such as the animal sacrifices
which only served to remind the one who had broken God's law
that ultimately Christ would come providing the sacrifice that would
actually blot out sin. See Rom. 3:25. He further states that if there
had been a law given which would make alive then righteousness
(pardon) would have been of the law. See Gal. 3:21. He also states
that the law is not a matter of faith but "he that doeth them shall
live in them" (Gal. 3:12), "Spirit" which stands for the New
62
CHAPTER THREE 3:6
Covenant gives life. Under this covenant the blood of Christ, who
through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God,
actually cleanses the conscience from dead works to serve the living
God. See Heb. 9:14. The testimony of the Holy Spirit is given in
Jer. 31:31-34 and in Heb. 10:16 in these words: "This is the
covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the
Lord. I will put my laws on their hearts and upon their minds also
will I write them and their sins and their iniquities I will remember
no more." As sin reigned in death, even so grace reigns through
righteousness unto eternal through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom.
5:21).
The Glory of the Old and New Covenants
Scripture
3:7-11. But if the ministration of death, written, and engraven on
stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look
stedfastly upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which
glory was passing away: 8 how shall not rather the ministration of
the spirit be with glory? 9 For if the ministration of condemnation
hath glory, much rather doth the ministration of righteousness ex-
ceed in glory. 10 For verily that which hath been made glorious hath
not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that
surpasseth. 1 1 For if that which passeth away was with glory, much
more that which remaineth is in glory.
Comments
But if the ministration of death. — -Paul had just spoken of the Old
Covenant under the figure of the letter that kills. Now for the same
reasons he speaks of it as a ministry that produced death. Neverthe-
less, he declares that the ministry that produced death — a letter which
was engraved on stones — came with glory. Paul was not one to
criticize the Law of God. Although he had violated it and as a
result had died, he insisted that the law was holy and the command-
ment was holy and righteous and good. See Rom. 7:9-12. He is now
about to contrast the glory of the Old Covenant with the glory of
the New that brought him life in Christ. When Moses came down
from the mountain after he had talked with God his face shone
with a brilliance that made it impossible for the children of Israel
to look intently at it. They were aware of the fact that Moses had
been in the presence of God and that the word he was speaking was
63
3:7-9 II CORINTHIANS
from God. When he finished speaking to them, he put a veil on
his face. When he went again to speak to the Lord he took the veil
off and came back to deliver the message to the people of Israel and
then put the veil on his face again. See Ex. 34:29-35.
which glory was passing away.— The veil kept the people from seeing
that the shining brilliance on the face of Moses was gradually fading
away. It kept them from assuming that what he had said as the
Word of God was only a temporary thing. But see verse fifteen for
the distorted view that some continued to hold regarding this matter.
the ministration of the spirit.-^-Some assume that this is a reference
to the ministry of the Holy Spirit and therefore capitalize the word.
Let it again be emphasized that Paul has already indicated that the
New Covenant came into existence through the work of the Holy
Spirit as He spoke through the inspired apostle. The word "spirit"
in this verse however is to be taken, as it is in verse six, as a symbol
of the New Covenant. As such it is contrasted with the ministry of
death which is a symbol of the Old Covenant. The apostles' question
was, "If the ministry of the Old Covenant, which was a ministry that
brought death, came with glory as indicated by the shining face of
Moses, how shall not also the ministry of the spirit-covenant (New
Covenant) which brings eternal life be with glory?" The verses
that follow indicate the surpassing glory of this spirit-covenant
for if the ministration of condemnation. — The New Covenant which
was symbolized by "spirit" gave life and was called a ministry of
righteousness. Paul explained this righteousness as something apart
from the Law, as a righteousness of God to which the Law and
Prophets had borne witness. It was the righteousness of God through
faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe. It provided pardon
from sin for all who fall short of the glory of God — that is, of His
approval. That pardon is freely given because of God's grace through
the redemption that is in Jesus Christ. He is the One who through
His blood blots out sins of those who believe in Him and expresses
that belief in obedience to His commands. See Romans 3:21-26;
Acts 2:38; 22:16. Righteousness is used in a three-fold way in Paul's
writings. First, referring to the fact that God is right or just in
word and deed. Second, it refers to the standard of conduct which
God requires of His people. Third, it is the status of one whose sins
have been pardoned by the grace of God through faith in Christ. Is
there any wonder that Paul insists that the glory of this ministry of
righteousness exceeds the glory of the ministration that brought
64
CHAPTER THREE 3:10,11
death? The glory of the New Covenant so outshines the glory of
the Old as to cause it to appear as if it had not been at all.
For that which passeth away. — Paul explained in Galatians that the
Law was to serve until Christ. But since faith in Christ has come, we
are no longer under the Law. See Gal. 3:23-25. He also explained
that Christ was born under the Law that He might redeem those who
were under the Law. See GaL 4:4-5. In the allegory of Abraham's
two sons he again clearly points out that the possession of eternal
life was not possible under the Old Covenant, for it belongs to
those who enjoy the freedom under the New Covenant. Hager, the
mother of Ishmael, represented the Old Covenant. She and her son
were cast out — did not inherit the blessing of Abraham. Sarah and
Isaac represent- those who are under the New Covenant. Paul adds,
"Now we brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise." He
cited the Scripture that said, "Cast out the handmaiden and her son,
for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the
free woman." Christians are children of the free woman — that is,
the New Covenant — and are heirs of the promise of eternal life
through Christ. See Gal. 4:21-31. This position is reinforced by the
writer of Hebrews for he says, "In that he said a new covenant, he
hath made the first old, but that which is becoming old and waxeth
aged is nigh unto vanishing away" (Heb. 8:13).
It should be noted that verse eleven refers to the Old Covenant
which was passing away. This had been symbolized by the fact that
the glory that shone from Moses' face was also passing away. See
verse 7.
that which remaineth is in glory — The New Covenant is the abiding
covenant. Under it the perfect sacrifice has been made, and no further
sacrifice is necessary since the blood of Christ actually cleanses the
conscience of the worshipper. See Heb. 10:1-18. The glory of this
covenant remains. Its glory is to be found in the fact that it came
from God through Jesus Christ as He revealed it by the Holy Spirit
through the inspired apostles. See John 16:13-14.
Paul's Great Boldness of Speech
Scripture
3:12-13. Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of
speech, 13 and are not as Moses, who put a veil upon his face, that
the children of Israel should not look stedfastly on the end of that
which was passing away:
65
3:12,13 II CORINTHIANS
Comments
such a hope. — Paul's hope was based upon the abiding nature of the
New Covenant. The blessings of the New Covenant were remission
of sins, eternal life in Christ, and the hope of the glory of God. See
Rom. 5:1-2.
great boldness of speech.-, — This is said in justification of his claim
that he was adequately fitted for the task of preaching the message of
the gospel which dealt with eternal death and eternal life.
not as Moses. — The fact that God spoke to Moses was symbolized
by the shining brilliance on the face of, Moses when he came down
from the mountain, but that message was temporary. Since it was to
act as a guardian over God's people until Christ should come, the
temporary nature of that message is suggested by the fact that the
shining brilliance of Moses faded away. Moses had put the veil on
his face to keep the children of Israel from seeing when this hap-
pened. It was in direct contrast to the great boldness of speech which
characterized Paul's message under the New Covenant which is
permanent.
the end of that which was passing away. — Moses did not want the
children of Israel to see that the glory had left his face. So long as
they were under the Old Covenant, he wanted them to remember
that it was God's Word. As Moses prepared the children of Israel
to go over into the promised land, he said, "You shall not add to
the word which I command you nor take from it that you may keep
the commandments of the Lord your God which I commanded you"
(Deut. 4:2). No other nation had a God like the Lord God of
Israel; no other nation had a law like the law God had given them.
See Deut. 4:7-8. The Lord spoke to Joshua as he was preparing to
lead the children of Israel in their conquest of Canaan. "Be strong
and very courageous being careful to do according to. all that Moses
my servant commanded you. Turn not from it to the right hand or
to the left that you may have good success wherever you go"
(Joshua 1:7). Paul reminds us that the law was holy, and the com-
mandment was holy and righteous and good. See Rom. 7:12. All
this, however, cannot compare with the surpassing glory of the
permanent New Covenant with its blessings of remission of sins and
eternal life through Jesus Christ Our Lord.
Some have suggested that "end" may refer to the purpose of the
Law of Moses. But certainly Moses was not interested in obscuring
that purpose, for he himself had said, "The Lord your God will raise
66
CHAPTER THREE 3:13,14
up for you a prophet like unto me from among you" (Deut. 18:15).
Peter quoted Moses and showed that this prophecy was fulfilled in
Christ. See Acts 3:20-23. Moses simply did not want Israel to see
that the brilliance had left his face for it was a symbol that God had
spoken to him.
Hardened Minds
Scripture
3:14-15. But their minds were hardened: for until this very day at
the reading of the old covenant the same veil remaineth, it not being
revealed to them that it is done away in Christ. 15 But unto this day,
whensoever Moses is read, a veil Iieth upon their heart.
Comments
minds were hardened. — This hardness was a subject of the prophecy
of Isaiah which was quoted by Jesus in connection with the failure
of some to understand the parable of the sower. "By hearing ye shall
hear and shall in no wise understand; and seeing ye shall see and
shall in no wise perceive. This people's heart is waxed gross and
their ears are dull of hearing, their eyes they have closed lest haply
they should perceive with their eyes and hear with their ears and
— anderstand^with-their-heart-and-should-turn again and I should hear
them" (Matt. 13:14-15). Paul warned his Jewish hearers about the
same thing when he spoke to them in Antioch of Pisidia. He said,
"Beware therefore lest there come upon you which is spoken in the
prophets: Behold ye despisers and wonder, and perish; for I work a
work in your days which ye shall in no wise believe, if one declare
it unto you" (Acts 13:40-41). He also quoted Isaiah's prophecy to
the Jews who met with him in Rome. See Acts 28:26-28.
at the reading of the old covenant. — Tragically many of the Jews
failed to anticipate the coming of Christ and the New Covenant
although these matters had been clearly set forth in their Scriptures.
They became satisfied that they were the chosen people of God. Their
religion had become largely a matter of external conformity to ritual
and form. They were interested in the ceremonies and the keeping of
feasts and sabbaths. But Jesus asked them on one occasion, "Why do
you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradi-
tions" (Matt. 15:3)? Now Paul charges them with spiritual blind-
ness and stubbornness, for even in his day they still clung to the Old
Covenant as if it were a permanent thing. They refused to admit that
67
3:15 II CORINTHIANS
although God had spoken to the fathers in the prophets, that in
the end of those days of revelation He had spoken with finality,
completeness and authority in the exalted One who bears the name
Son. SeeHeb. 1 : 1-2.
it is done away in Christ. — Moses removed the veil when he went
back into the mountain to talk with God but the veil remained on
the hearts of those who heard the reading of the Law of Moses for
they were not aware that it is removed in Christ. What God said in
the completed revelation of His will in the New Covenant is like
speaking to Him face to face. See I Cor. 13:12. The examination of
the facts concerning the life, death, and resurrection of Christ should
convince one that God's approval rested upon Him. See Acts 2:22-
36. The apostle Peter, recalling his experience in the holy mountain
when God said this is my Son in whom I am well pleased, said, "We
have the word of prophecy made more sure where unto you do well
that ye take heed as unto a lamp shining in a dark place until the
day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts, knowing this first
that no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation for no
prophecy ever Came by the will of man but men spake from God
being moved by the Holy Spirit" (II Pet. 1:19-21). Paul indicates
that God's gospel, which concerns His Son and the pardon that was
made possible through His shed blood, is in accord with the testimony
of the law and the prophets. See Rom. 1:1-4; 3:21-26.
whenever Moses is read. — Paul had had many experiences with the
stubbornness of the Jews who steadfastly refused to accept Jesus
as the Messiah. Disobedient Jews had rejected his message of Christ
at Antioch. They led persecutions against him in Iconium and
Lystra. They stirred up trouble for him in Thessalonica. Their hatred
for him finally led to his arrest in the city of Jerusalem. Throughout
his long imprisonment they pressed their charges with the hope of
having him put to death. Only his appeal to Caesar prevented his
falling into their murderous hands. Their stubborn hearts were
veiled so that the light of the glory of the gospel of Christ did not
penetrate that veil.
Transformed
Scripture
3:16-18. But whensoever it shall turn to the Lord the veil is taken
away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the
Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding
68
CHAPTER THREE 3:16,17
as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same
image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit.
Comments
turn to the Lord. — The only way to remove that veil is to make an
honest investigation of the claims of Christ as set forth in the gospel
which was preached by the inspired apostles. When it, the veiled
heart, turns to the Lord the veil is taken away. Then one can see
that God has spoken with finality through the Son in the New
Covenant. The veil kept the Jews from seeing that the Law of
Moses was supplanted by the gospel. They did not know that God
was speaking through Christ, not Moses. See Deut. 18:15. The veil,
which Moses removed when he was in the presence of God or speak-
ing to the children of Israel, is taken out of the way when one
realizes that God did speak with finality through Christ.
N-ow the Lord is the Spirit. — The word "spirit" in this verse is ren-
dered "Spirit," assuming that Paul was referring to the Holy Spirit.
The Lord is Jesus Christ. See 4:5. See also comment on 1:3. But
this is to identify the Lord with the Holy Spirit. We are well aware
of the fact that Scripture makes it clear that there is an intimate
unity between the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. But why
should Paul refer to this unity at this point? He had already made it
clear that the New Covenant came into being through the instru-
mentality of the Holy Spirit as he directed the minds of those who
wrote down the message of the New Covenant. He had also indicated
that "spirit" stood as a symbol of the New Covenant. Since in this
context he is contrasting the reading of Moses, that is the Old Cove-
ant, with the boldness of Paul's speech in connection with the New
Covenant, it is possible that he is speaking about the Lord who is
identified with that spirit-covenant. It is to the Lord that the veiled
heart was to turn. And that was to be done by the reading of the
New Covenant which was symbolized by "spirit" rather than "letter."
The New Covenant is the fulfillment of the Old.
where the Spirit of the Lord is. — While this could refer to the Holy
Spirit through whom the New Covenant came into being, consistency
would suggest that the reference is still to "spirit" as the symbol of
the New Covenant. Where the spirit-covenant of the Lord is, there
is liberty.
there is liberty. — This is the very issue that Paul discussed with the
Galatians in chapters four and five. The New Covenant is represented
by Sarah, and the Christian by Isaac. Paul concludes, "Wherefore
69
3:17,18 II CORINTHIANS
brethren we are not children of the handmaid but of the free
woman" (Gal. 4:31). Again Paul says, "For freedom, did Christ
set us free. Stand fast therefore and be not entangled again in the
yoke of bondage" (Gal. 5:1). This freedom in Christ is within the
regulation of the Law of Christ. "Bear ye one another's burdens and
so fulfill the law of Christ" (Gal. 6:2). See also Rom. 8:1-4.
But we all, with unveiled face.~-Va& reading of the Old Covenant
is here contrasted with the reading of the New Covenant. While the
Jew read with a veil upon his heart, the Christian — the one who
turned to the Lord — is aware that the New Covenant is the abiding
message of Christ.
beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord.^See James' use of
the mirror as a symbol of the perfect law of liberty, that is, the
gospel or the New Covenant. James 1:23-24. It is the glorious,
abiding New Covenant that reveals the glory of the Lord. It reveals
His deity, His majesty, His power and His authority. It reveals His
work as Prophet, Priest, and King. It reveals Him as our example,
in whose footsteps we should follow. See I Pet. 2:21. It reveals Him
as the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls. See I Pet. 1:25. It reveals
Him as the One coming again for those who wait for Him unto
salvation. God's children will be like Him for they will see Him as
He is. See I John 3:2.
transformed into the same image. — The tragic failure of the Jews
under the Old Covenant is indicated by the fact that they were not
transformed into God's children. Though they claimed God as their
Father, the simple truth was that they were filled with hatred for
His Son and disregard for His Word. Therefore Jesus called them
children of their father, the devil. See John 8:39-44.
Will Christ tolerate anything less than genuine transformation into
Christlikeness under the New Covenant? Paul wrote to the Romans
and said, "Be not fashioned according to this world, but be ye trans-
formed by the renewing of your minds so that ye may approve the
will of God, the thing that is good, and acceptable in His sight, and
complete" (Rom. 12:2). How tragic that many of the Corinthians
had failed to see this. Their sin of division was destroying the temple
of the Holy Spirit, their immoral conduct defiled the body which is
the temple of the Holy Spirit, and their unChristian conduct made it
impossible to keep the memorial feast of the Lord's Supper.
from glory to glory.- — The image into which those who turn to the
Lord are to be transformed is that of the glorious Person of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing short of Christlikeness in character and
70
CHAPTER THREE 3:18
conduct meets this demand. Paul had written to the Corinthians to
say, "Imitate me as I am also an imitator of Christ" (I Cor. 11:1).
Guidelines to follow in this matter may be found in I Cor. 13:4-8.
Christ demonstrated in His life the meaning of every one of these
characteristics of love. Love is the crowning virtue of the Christian
life. So the glory of Christ is to be seen in the glorious life of His
church. He "cleansed it by the washing of the water with the Word
that He might present the church into Himself a glorious church
not having spot or wrinkle of any such thing, but that it should be
holy and without blemish" (Eph. 5:26-27).
even as from the Lord the Spirit. — This glorious transformation comes
from the Lord of the spirit-covenant. Again some assume that
"Spirit" is in apposition to "Lord" thus identifying the Lord with the
Holy Spirit. The point that Paul is making is that the Lord has
spoken through the New Covenant in contrast with the fact that
Moses spoke through the Old Covenant as God revealed it to him.
Summary
Following the claim to be equal to the task of proclaiming the
message of the gospel which was a message of life and death, Paul
asked two questions: (1) Is this self -commendation? and (2) We
do not need, as some do, letters of commendation to you or from
you, do we?
He began his answers by saying, "You are our epistle." Others
might need letters of commendation, but Paul didn't. He knew that
they had become Christians through his preaching. He had an
abiding love for them. They, then, were like a letter written on his
heart, known and read by everyone. They knew of his love for them
and that they had become new creatures in Christ. Indeed, they were
like a letter that Christ had written through his ministers who had
preached the gospel to them. It was written on living hearts — the
understanding and affections — not stone tablets as if it affected ex-
ternal conduct only. It was not an ordinary letter written with ink,
but one written by the Spirit of the living God. Paul was confident
of all this because he knew that it had God's approval. God alone
had made him equal to the task of being a minister of the New
Covenant. This led to a contrast between the Old Covenant — the Ten
Commandments given at Mt. Sinai — and the New Covenant — the
gospel covenant given in fullness on the Day of Pentecost. He
spoke of the Old Covenant as a "letter" covenant, and the New
Covenant as a "spirit" covenant.
71
II CORINTHIANS
To many, the letter-covenant was not obeyed out of love for God.
It became a thing that killed, because death was the penalty for
breaking it, The spirit-covenant, because it was intelligently, willingly,
and lovingly obeyed, was a thing that made alive those who were
dead in sin. The spirit-covenant was revealed by the Holy Spirit, but
for that matter, so was the letter-covenant, and in some respects it
too was spiritual. See Rom. 7:1244. The expression, "the letter
killeth but the spirit giveth life" has nothing to do with the literal
interpretation of the Scriptures as opposed to a spiritual interpretation.
Paul contrasted the glory of these two covenants, that is, the Old
Covenant which kills and the New that brings life. The Old brought
condemnation to the disobedient, but the New brings forgiveness
to those who willingly obey it. The glory of the Old was such that
the sons of Israel could not look steadfastly at the face of Moses
which shone with a brilliant light because he had talked with God
who had given him the covenant for Israel. But the glory of the
New Covenant excells the Old just as forgiveness excells condemna-
tion. The glory of the Old could not equal the surpassing glory of the
New. Even the glory on Moses' face faded away, a symbol of the
fact that the Old Covenant was to be replaced by the New which
is permanent As a minister of the New Covenant, Paul spoke with
great boldness.
Moses put a veil on his face to keep the people from seeing the
end of the glory with which it shone. Moses wanted them to re-
member the glory as a symbol of the fact that God had spoken to
them through Him. This kept them from seeing that the Old Cove-
nant had been done away. Even in Paul's time, a mental picture of
that veil remained in the minds of readers of the Law because they
were not aware that the veil had been done away by the New
Covenant of Christ. It was done away whenever the veiled heart
turned to the Lord through whom God spoke with finality, complete-
ness, and authority. See Heb. 1:1-2. The Lord is the Lord of the
spirit-covenant. The message of the New Covenant is forever fresh
just as if one were speaking to God "face to face." Where the
spirit-covenant of the Lord is, there is, liberty. With unveiled faces
because we are talking to the Lord, we look as into a mirror when
we read the New Covenant and see the glory of the Lord.
As we behold this glorious image of the Lord, we are transformed
into the glorious likeness of the Lord of the spirit-covenant.
72
CHAPTER THREE
Questions
1. What is the connection between the content of this chapter and
that of the preceding one?
2. Why did Paul anticipate charges of self -commendation?
3. What is the purpose of letters of commendation? How had
Paul made use of them?
4. Why didn't he need such a letter to the Corinthians or from
them.
5. How had signs and wonders served to commend him to them?
6. How did their lives as Christians commend him to others?
7. In what sense was this letter written on his heart?
8. How could all men know and read it?
9. Why does Paul also call it an epistle of Christ?
10. What did Paul have to do with writing it?
11. Why did he say that it was not written with ink, but with the
Spirit of the living God?
12. What message had been written on tablets of stone?
13. Why did Paul suggest that the gospel message which he
preached had been written on hearts of flesh?
14. Why did Paul speak with such confidence about this letter?
15. What was the source of his adequacy for his ministry?
16. What are some of the contrasts between the Old and New
covenants?
17. To whom was the New Covenant first given as a promise?
18. How did Paul show that there was no conflict between the Old
and New Covenants?
19- What does "letter and spirit" mean in its various contexts?
20. To what does "letter" refer in this chapter?
21. To what does "spirit" refer in this chapter?
22. What indicates that "letter" is not contrasted with "Holy Spirit"
in this context?
23. What is meant by the statement that "the letter killeth but the
spirit giveth life"?
24. What popular notion cannot possibly be supported by these
words?
25. What did James say about actually doing what the Word says?
26. Why, then, was the Old Covenant spoken as the ministration of
death?
27. In what way was the Old Covenant glorious?
28. What is the difference between its glory and that of the New?
73
II CORINTHIANS
29. When and why did Moses put the veil on his face?
30. What is the ministration of the spirit?
31. Why was the Old Covenant spoken of as a ministration of con-
demnation?
32. Why was the New Covenant called the ministration of right-
eousness?
33. What does righteousness mean in this context?
34. In what way does the glory of the New Covenant outshine that
of the Old?
35. How does the allegory of Abraham's two wives explain the
relation between the Old and New Covenants?
36. Why is the New Covenant spoken of as the one that remains?
37. On what was Paul's hope based?
38. Why could he speak with such boldness about the hope of the
New Covenant?
39. Why did Moses put a veil on his face? When did he remove it?
40. What is meant by "the end of that which was passing away"?
41. What caused the minds of the jews to become hardened?
42. What was their attitude toward the reading of the Old Cov-
enant in Paul's day?
43. "What happens when the veiled heart turns to the Lord?
44. With what covenant is the Lord associated in this context?
45; Where is liberty to be found?
46. Why is the Christian's face spoken of as unveiled?
47. What is the mirror in which we behold the glory of the Lord?
48. What happens when we do?
49. What did Paul mean by the expression "from glory to glory"?
50. What did he mean by "even as from the Lord the Spirit"?
For Discussion
1. What can be done through Christian living to promote the work
of Christ?
2. What can be done to help church people speak with conviction
about the Word of God?
74
CHAPTER FOUR
Analysis
A. Paul explained the nature of his ministry under the glorious
New Covenant (1-6).
1. His attitude toward his ministry (1-2).
a) Since he had received it through the mercy that had
been shown him by the Lord, he did not lose heart ( 1 ) .
b) He did, however, reject things that were unbecoming to
such a ministry (2a).
( 1 ) He renounced the hidden things of shame.
(2) He did not carry on his ministry by craftiness.
( 3 ) He did not handle the Word of God deceitfully.
c) He conducted himself in such a manner as to commend
himself to every man's conscience (b).
( 1 ) He did so by making the truth clear.
(2) It was done openly as in the sight of God.
2. His attitude toward the gospel which he preached (3-6).
a) He assumed that his gospel might become veiled in
some (3-4a).
(1) This could happen in the minds of those who
were perishing.
(2) It was done by the god of this world.
(3) It was the result of their being blinded by un-
belief.
b) He pointed out the result of this blindness: Those who
are perishing do not see the light of the glory of the
gospel of Christ who is the image of God (4b).
c) He gave his reasons for this view of the veiled gospel
(5-6).
(1) Based on the message he preached:
(a) He didn't preach himself but Christ Jesus as
Lord.
(b) He was their servant for Jesus' sake.
(2) Based on what God said:
(a) Let light shine out of darkness.
(b) God caused light to shine in his heart by
revealing His truth.
75
II CORINTHIANS
(c) This caused him to see the light of the knowl-
edge of the glory of God in the face of
Christ.
B. Paul explained the secret of his ability to endure the trials of his
ministry (7-15).
1. He was but an earthen vessel in which this treasure was
carried that it might be evident that the power of his min-
istry was of God, not of himself (7).
2. Death was working in his case that they might have life
a) He described the trials which he endured in his ministry
(8-9),
(1) Pressed but not straightened.
(2) Perplexed but not unto despair.
( 3 ) Pursued but not forsaken. ,
(4) Smitten down but not destroyed.
b) He explained the nature of these trials (10-12).
(1) They were like bearing about the dying of Jesus
that the life of Jesus might be manifested in his
body.
(2) He explained that he was delivered to death for
i , Jesus' sake that the life of Jesus might be mani-
fested in his mortal flesh.
(3) This meant that death was working in him, but life
in the Corinthians.
3. His ministry was carried on in the spirit of faith (13-15).
a) His faith was like that of the Psalmist who said, "I
believed, therefore I spoke" (13).
b) His faith was in God who raised up Christ and would
raise him also (14).
c) His ministry of faith was for their sakes that the multi-
plied grace of the many might cause thanksgiving to
abound unto the glory of God.
C. Paul explained his view of temporal suffering (16-18).
1. He did not lose courage in face of such suffering.
2. He thought of them in contrast to things eternal.
a) They were as light afflictions compared to the weight of
eternal glory.
b) Things that are seen are temporal; things that are un-
seen are eternal.
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CHAPTER FOUR 4:1
Paul's Response To The Ministry Under
The Glorious New Covenant
Scripture
4:1-6. Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained
mercy, we faint not: 2 but we have renounced the hidden things
of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God
deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending our-
selves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if
our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that perish: 4 in whom the
god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the
light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God,
should not dawn upon them. 5 For we preach not ourselves, but
Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.
6 Seeing it is God, that said, Light shall shine out of darkness, who
shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory
of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Comments
Therefore seeing we have this ministry. — Paul had just explained his
great boldness of speech in connection with his ministry under the
New Covenant. This is a continuation of his answer to those who
might criticize him for his claim to be adequate for such a ministry.
even as we obtained mercy. — Paul had already made it clear that his
sufficiency for this ministry was from God. He did not hesitate to
admit that in himself he had no right to make such claims, for he
remembered his former attitude toward Christ and his church. As
he wrote to Timothy about the gospel of the glory of the blessed
God which had been committed to his trust, he reminded him that
Christ had counted him faithful and had appointed him to His
service. This was in spite of the fact that once he had been a blasphe-
mer and a persecutor and an injurious person. He had readily ad-
mitted to the Corinthians that he was the least of the apostles, not
even worthy to be called an apostle because he had persecuted the
church of God. See I Cor. 15:9. But he obtained mercy because he
did it ignorantly in unbelief. See I Tim. 1:11-14. God's mercy had
brought him pardon; his sins had been washed away by the blood
of Christ at the time of his baptism. See Acts 22:16. Although Paul
had been a Pharisee, his humility as a Christian reminds us of the
publican who prayed, "Be merciful to me the sinner" (Luke 18:13).
Paul may have had in mind those arrogant false teachers who were
77
4:1,2 II CORINTHIANS
troubling the church at Corinth, suggesting- that they, too, should
have called upon God for mercy.
we faint not. — Paul's humility is matched by his courageous faith
and confidence in the Lord. He was like David who, after he had
slain the lion and the bear, fearlessly faced the giant Philistine who
had been defying the army of Israel. Like David, Paul also came
in the name of the Lord. He refused to act the part of a coward as
he faced the hardships of this glorious ministry. Neither was he
frightened by the derogatory slander of the false teachers at Corinth.
we have renounced the hidden things of shame. — While "renounce"
may have the sense of "give up," it is doubtful that this would be
true in Paul's case.
As to the righteousness which is in the Law, Paul declared that he
had been found blameless. See Phil. 3:6. This reminds us of the
Rich Young Ruler who said to Jesus that he had observed all the
commandments from his youth. See Luke 18:21. But he had failed
to keep the first commandment which said, "Thou shalt have no
other gods before me." Paul freely admitted, however, that before
he had become a Christian he had been guilty of covetousness. Sin
had dwelt in him, dominating his life and leading him to do many
things he hated. See Rom. 7:7-20. But he had been released from the
tyranny of that master when he became obedient to Christ the Lord.
See Rom. 6:17-18.
"Renounce" also means to refuse. Even as a Pharisee, it is doubt-
ful if Paul ever resorted to the shameful practices which he condemns
in this context. But certain Judaizing teachers who had been dis-
turbing the churches were guilty of them. Paul categorized the cor-
rupt teachers who had been disrupting the Galatian churches as
"false brethren, privily brought in, who came in privily to spy out our
liberty which we have in Jesus Christ, that they might bring us into
bondage" (Gal. 2:4).
It is true also that Paul had persecuted the church of God and had
tried to destroy it, because he was convinced that it was wrong. See
Gal. 1:13. "Breathing threatening and slaughter against the disciples
of the Lord" he had traveled even to Damascus hunting them down.
He had obtained letters from the high priest giving him authority to
arrest any whom he might find that were of the Way, men or women,
and bring them bound to Jerusalem. See Acts 9:1-2.
Whatever these hidden things of shame were, as an apostle of
the Lord Jesus Christ, Paul refused to become involved in them. He
78
CHAPTER FOUR 4:2,3
gave full notice to all that he would not stoop to such practices in
order to gain power over his fellowmen.
not working in craftiness, — This is a reference to the methods of
those who indulged in the hidden things of shame. See Eph. 5:12.
Some of them would do anything to accomplish their own selfish
ends, even if it meant handling the Word of God deceitfully. Paul had
already mentioned those who were making merchandise of the Word
of God. As a fisherman uses a lure to attract the unsuspecting fish,
so the false teacher, used deceit in order to capture his victim. Paul,
however, had said to the Ephesian elders: "I am pure from the blood
of all men, for I shrank not from declaring unto you the whole
counsel of God" (Acts 20:26-27).
There are various ways to use the Word of God deceitfully. Using a
Bible text to preach a "sermon" that has little or nothing to do with
the Bible is one of the common ways of doing it. Teaching it ac-
curately, but refusing to live by it is equally deceitful. Jesus con-
demned the scribes and Pharisees for this very thing. See Matt.
23:1-2. Paul wrote about some of the Jews who were doing the
same thing, saying, "for this reason the name of God is blasphemed
among the Gentiles because of you" (Rom. 2:23).
Both Jesus and Paul demonstrated the proper use of the Scrip-
tures. In the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus read from the prophecy
of Isaiah concerning Himself. When He had finished reading He
explained the meaning of the prophecy to the people. They wondered
at the gracious words which He spoke. See Luke 4:16-21. Paul told
Timothy that the inspired Scriptures were profitable for teaching,
correction, instruction in righteousness, and that they completely
equip the man of God for every good work. See II Tim. 3:16-17.
Paul insisted on proclaiming the truth of God's Word and letting
that truth be seen in his life. See Gal. 2:20 and I Cor. 11:1.
commending ourselves to every maris conscience in the sight of God,
— Paul's ministry was out in the open so that every man could see
and know the truth for which he stood. And this is the thing that
commended him to them. He was aware of the fact that as a servant
of the Lord Jesus Christ all that he said and did was done in the
sight of God.
even if our gospel is veiled. — He was, no doubt, anticipating the re-
action to his remarks about the veil that lies upon those who hear
the Law of Moses read. He frankly admitted that the gospel is
veiled in the case of those who were perishing. They were perishing
because they had failed to turn to the Lord who is revealed in the
19
4:4 II CORINTHIANS
glorious New Covenant. The message of the gospel is about eternal
life and also about eternal death. To reject the message of the Lord
is to perish.
in whom the god of this world. — Satan is properly called the god
of this age because he is worshipped by those who are perishing.
Of course, there is only one true God, the Father, and one true
Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ. See I Cor. 8:6. When Gentile sacrificed
to idols, Paul said that they were sacrificing to demons and not to
God. Idolatry was demon worship. Satan is known as the prince of
demons. See Matt. 12:44. Satan even dared to challenge the Son of
God to fall down and worship him, offering to give Him all the
kingdoms of the world if He would do so. See Matt. 4:8. Jesus made
it clear that no one can serve two masters. He said, "You cannot
serve God and mammon" (Luke 16:13). Satan can be called the
god of this age because of the time limit that is imposed upon his
activities. At the close of this age, the devil will be cast into the lake
that burns with fire and brimstone where are also the beast and the
false prophet, and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and
ever. See Rev. 20:10.
Christ conquered Satan. at the cross and provided the means
whereby His followers may also overcome him, that is, by the blood
of the Lamb, the Word of their testimony, and their dedication to the
Lord that is indicated by the fact that they love not their lives even
unto death. See Rev. 12:11 and Heb. 2:14.
blinded the minds of the unbelieving, — Belief in Christ rests solidly
on the evidence of His resurrection. See Rom. 10:9-10. The sheer
weight of that evidence compelled the apostles who had investigated
every phase of it to believe that God had raised Jesus from the dead.
The inspired writers have left us a reliable record of the evidence
of that greatest fact of history.
Paul knew that many were blind because they did not want to
believe. They were satisfied with the Old Covenant and proud of
their own righteousness.
Jesus had found this same blindness among the people of His
day. They did not understand what He said because they did not
hear what He was really saying. Why? Because they were intent on
doing the evil which their father, the devil, was suggesting to them.
He was a liar and the father of liars. His offspring were not interested
in the truth which the Son of God spoke. See John 8:42-46.
that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. — Unbelief had
closed the minds of those who were perishing. They would not permit
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CHAPTER FOUR 4:4,5
the knowledge of the gospel which tells of the glory of the Lord
Jesus Christ to enlighten their darkened minds. They "loved the
darkness rather than die light" (John 3:19)-
who is the image of God. — Paul pointed out the seriousness of this
blindness. To reject Christ is to reject God, for He is the image of
God, that is, "the image of the invisible God" (Col. 1:15). John,
also, says that "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begot-
ten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him"
(John 1:18). Thus both John and Paul emphatically state their be-
lief in the deity of Jesus. John says that "the Word was God" (John
1:1), and that "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (and
we beheld his. glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father
full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).
The Gospel of John unfolds the story of the Father as He is seen
in the Person of Jesus Christ. Jesus declared, "I and the Father are
one" (John 10:30). He also said "no one cometh unto the Father
but by me" (John 14:6). When Philip said, "Lord, show us the
Father and it sufficeth us," Jesus answered, "Have I been so long
time with you, and do you not know me, Philip? He that hath seen
me hath seen the Father" (John 14:8-9). Indeed, if they had recog-
nized Him, they would have known the Father. See John 14:7. The
writer of Hebrews indicates that the Son is the exact representation
of God. See Heb. 1:3. The veil of unbelief prevented many from
seeing this truth.
Paul declared that in Christ "dwelleth all the fulness of the
Godhead bodily" (Col. 2:9). The most complete explanation of this
profound truth of Christianity is found in Phil. 2:5-11. His deity
and humanity are presented by Paul in terms similar to those used
by John in his Gospel and his first epistle. See John 1:1-8 and I
John 1:1-4.
for we preach not ourselves. — In no way did Paul preach himself.
He always preached Christ Jesus as Lord. He was merely the agent
through whom the knowledge of Christ had been made known in
every place. He had no lordship over their faith; his task was to
help them in their joyous relationship to the Lord.
Of himself he could say, "I am your servant for Jesus' sake." In so
doing he was following the standard which the Lord had set for all
who would serve Him. "Whosoever would be first among you," He
said, "let him be servant of all." The Son of Man did not come to be
ministered unto, but to minister and to give His life a ransom for
the many. See Mark 10:44-45.
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4:5,6 II CORINTHIANS
This attitude was the opposite of that of the false teachers who
were troubling the Corinthians, for they were commending them-
selves and measuring themselves by their own standards. See II
Cor. 10:12.
Seeing that it is God. — This is Paul's reason for preaching Christ.
In contrast to what he had said about the god of this world who had
blinded the minds of the unbelieving, Paul declared that it was God
who caused light to shine out of darkness and who had shined in his
heart to give the enlightenment that comes from the knowledge
about the glory of God as it is seen in the face of Jesus. He wrote
to the Galatians to say that God had revealed His Son in him that he
might preach Him among the Gentiles. See Gal. 1 : 16.
Several contrasts are seen in these verses: ( 1 ) The god of this age
is contrasted with God who created the world. (2) The blinded minds
of the unbelievers are contrasted with the enlightened heart of Paul
as a believer in Christ. (3) Unbelief which prevented the light of
the gospel of the glory of Christ from dawning on the darkened
minds is contrasted with the faith of the opened heart that allows
the enlightenment that comes from the knowledge of the glory of
God which is see n in the face of Christ to shine. ■..._...
The shining brilliance on the face of Moses suggests the thought
of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Moses' face shone
as he spoke to Israel .the message which God had given him. Christ
is the One through whom God revealed His gospel to the apostles,
and they preached; Christ Jesus as Lord for the salvation of the
believer.
Paul had been permitted to see the brilliant light and to hear
the voice of Christ when He commissioned him to preach the gospel
to the Gentiles. See Acts 26:12-18. Jesus told him that through his
preaching the Gentiles were to "open their eyes, that they might
turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God,
that they might receive remission of sins and an inheritance among
them that are sanctified by faith in Christ."
Since Paul has been discussing the Old Covenant in contrast to
the New, it might be well to recall what the writer of Hebrews said*
about the mountain from which God spoke to Israel. That mountain
"burned with fire and unto blackness and darkness, and tempest and
the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which they that
heard entreated that no more should be spoken unto them" (Heb.<
12:18-19). The message that came from Mount Zion, however,
brought the good news of remission of sins that had been promised
82
CHAPTER FOUR 4:6,7
to all believers from the time of Abraham. See Gal. 3:6-14; Isa.
2:1-4.
John wrote of Christ saying "In him was life; and the life was the
light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the dark-
ness apprehended it not" (John 1:4-5). Jesus said, "I am the light
of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in the darkness,
but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12). All this seems to say
the same thing that Paul did when he spoke of "the enlightenment
of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
Paul's View Of His Ministry
Scripture
4:7-18. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the ex-
ceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from our-
selves; 8 we are pressed on every side, yet not straitened; perplexed,
yet not unto despair; 9 pursued, yet not forsaken; smitten down, yet
not destroyed; 10 always bearing about in the body the dying of
Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body.
1 1 For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake,
that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you. 13 But having the
same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, I believed,
and therefore did I speak; we also believe, and therefore also we
speak; 14 knowing that he that raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise
up us also with Jesus, and shall present us with you. 15 For all
things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through
the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound unto the glory of
God.
16 Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decay-
ing, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. 17 For our light
affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more
exceedingly an eternal weight of glory; 18 while we look not at the
things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the
things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not
seen are eternal.
Comments
But we have this treasure. — Paul's ministry as an apostle in connection
with the New Covenant had been obtained through the mercy of
God. He, therefore, did not hesitate to declare that he was in no way
83
4:7 II CORINTHIANS
shrinking from the responsibilities involved in it. To him, it was a
privilege to proclaim the gospel of the glory of Christ, for it is this
gospel that gives enlightenment to the believer as he comes to know
about the glory of God as it is seen in the Person of Christ. This gospel
message is the treasure in such earthen vessels as the apostles. God
had Committed it to them as a trust. See I Tim. 1:11.
Paul wrote to Timothy telling him to guard that which had been
committed to him— the gospel which was the precious treasure which
had been given to him in trust for safe keeping — urging him to "turn
away from profane bablings and oppositions of the knowledge which
is falsely so called, which some professing have erred concerning the
faith" (I Tim. 6:20-21). The human being is indeed a fragile vessel
in which to entrust the precious message of eternal life, but such is
the confidence that God had in Paul and others who dedicate them-
selves to the service of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul said to Timothy,
"The. things which thou hast heard from me among many wit-
nesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to
teach others also" (II Tim. 2:2).
the power may be of God and not from ourselves.' — This is the
secret of Paul's ministry., The, power of his message was not in
himself but in God. He had written to the Corinthians in the first
letter saying, "I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much
trembling: And my speech and my preaching were not in persuasive
words of men's wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of
power" (I CoTi 2:4). To the Romans he wrote, "For I am not
ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God unto salvation to
everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek"
(Rom. 1:16).
Paul's enemies at Corinth were evidently proud of their personal
appearance, their ability as orators, and their power to persuade the
Corinthians to believe them rather than the gospel which Paul had
preached. Paul did not bother to defend himself against their in-
sinuations that his bodily presence was weak. He took it as an occa-
sion to point out that his power was from God, not from himself.
This power could be seen in the miracles which the apostles per-
formed. The miracles demonstrated that their message came from
God. Its effect had been seen in the transformed lives of those whose
sins had been washed away by the blood of Christ. They were liv-
ing a life of separation from sin and dedication to the service of God.
They had been pardoned in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and
in the Spirit of God. See I Cor. 5:11.
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CHAPTER FOUR 4:8,9
There was another side to this ministry that had to do with life
and death. It was that of human frailty facing the hardships of this
ministry, facing them in such a manner that the power of God might
be seen in His servants. Paul pointed out five examples of this human
weakness. In none of them was he preaching about himself, for his
faith and hope were in God throughout all his trials. The first four
examples present contrasts between the hardships he faced and the
relief that always came. The last explains his attitude toward all
the hardships which he suffered in preaching the gospel.
pressed on every side, yet not straitened. — This begins the list of
physical hardships which Paul suffered in his ministry. He had been
in tight places, but always found the way out. The riot at Ephesus
is a good example. See Acts 19:23-41. The town clerk quieted the
mob that would have destroyed Paul and made it possible for him,
after having exhorted the disciples, to go on to Macedonia. The
arrest in Jerusalem was another tight spot in which Paul was saved
from the violence of the angry crowd by the Roman soldiers that
policed the temple area. See Acts 21:35. The pressures of his min-
istry finally resulted in his imprisonment. On the night following his
arrest in Jerusalem, the Lord stood by him and said, "Be of good
cheer, for as thou hast testified concerning me at Jerusalem, so must
thou bear witness also at Rome" (Acts 23:11).
perplexed, yet not unto despair. — The difficulties involved in communi-
cation between himself and the Corinthian church left him at his
wits end. He was eager to help them and to prevent the false teachers
from making havoc of the church of God. But he did not despair;
he took the necessary action that finally led him to Macedonia where
he found Titus and learned about the situation at Corinth.
pursued, yet not forsaken. — Paul's enemies pursued him wherever he
went; but he was never left in the lurch, for the Lord was always
with him. His enemies pursued him until they succeeded in having
him arrested, but this led to his being sent to Rome where he pre-
sented his case — actually, the case for the gospel — before Caesar.
In the stormy crossing of the sea that threatened the lives of all on
board the ship, an angel of God said to Paul, "Fear not, Paul, thou
must stand before Caesar. And lo, God hath granted thee all them
that sail with thee" (Acts 27:23-24). In the trial that followed, when
all other had forsaken him, the Lord stood by Paul. See II Tim. 4:17.
Out of confidence of victory, Paul wrote this message to Timothy,
"Be thou sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an
evangelist, fulfill thy ministry. For I am already being offered, and
85
4:9-13 II CORINTHIANS
the time of my departure is come. I have fought the good fight, I
have finished the course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is
laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous judge, shall give to me at the last day; and not to me only,
but to all that have loved the Lord's appearing" (II Tim. 4:5-8).
smitten down, yet not destroyed. — Paul knew what it meant to be
struck down like a soldier on the battle field. At Lystra the enemy
stoned him and dragged him out of the city thinking that he was
dead. But as the disciples stood around, him he rose up and entered
into the city, and on the next day went on to Derbe. See Acts 14:
19-20.
always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus.^—Ubs Jews
were constantly seeking to kill Jesus. See John 5:18; 7:1. When they
could not meet the logic of His wisdom in open debate, they took up
stones to cast at Him. See John 8:59; 10:31. They would have done
it too, except for the fact that it was not His hour to die. He had the
right to lay down His life and the right to take it again. See John
10:18; 7:30. But they were determined to put Him to death; theih
only problem was how to get it done. Judas gave them the opportunity
they had been looking for when he offered to betray Hijfn into their
hands. Their charge of blasphemy on which they agreed that He
was worthy of death meant nothing to Pilate, and/they kne^'it.
Therefore they brought such charges as insurrection?' against Jpiesar
that they might force the governor to sentence , Jesiis to djg' on the
Roman cross. But He arose in triumph from, th^ dead? and "ever
lives to make intercession for us" (Heb. 7:25)/ As an apostle of
Christ, Paul was always facing death at the hands of his persecutors.
They finally succeeded; but for Paul, death simply meant being
absent from the body and at home with the Lord. See also Col. 1:24
for further information on Paul's attitude toward suffering for Christ.
that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.—
The life of Jesus is His life which survived the experience of death,
for God raised Him up. "
So then death worketh in us, but life in you- — The earthen vessel
was subject to death and persecution. But it held the glorious message
of eternal life for the believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul was
their servant for the sake of Jesus |phrist.
the same spirit of faith. — Defendiftg his courage to speak even in
face of death, Paul turned to the ^message of Psalms 116:8-11 to
show that he had the same attitude of faith as the Psalmist who
faced the threat of death. Paul's confidence was in God and in the
86
CHAPTER FOUR 4:13-18
power of the gospel to save. He knew that God had raised Jesus
Christ from the dead, for he had seen the risen Lord. He was also
certain that God would raise him up from the dead and present him
to Christ along with the saints at Corinth. See Eph. 5-25-27.
For all things are for your sakes. — All that God had done through
the Lord Jesus Christ was for the sake of the believer. Ail that
Paul had suffered in order to bring the gospel to them -was for
their sakes. God's grace multiplied by the many who were brought
to life in Jesus Christ caused thanks to abound unto the glory of God.
Wherefore we faint not. — Paul declared again his courage to carry
on the ministry of the gospel of Christ. He had faced hardships, even
death itself, in fulfilling his ministry. He courageously continued on
his course knowing death would overtake him some day. He develops
this thought beginning in 4:16 and continuing through 5:10.
our outward man is decaying. — By "outward man" Paul meant the
physical body in which he had endured so many hardships. See the
list in 11:24-28. It leaves us wondering how any man could have
endured all this. But it was a different story with the man who lived
in that body, that is, "the inward man." While the body was subject
to death, the inward man was being renewed day by day. Paul said,
"For which cause I suffer also these things: yet I am not ashamed;
for I know him whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is
able to guard that which I have committed unto him against that
day" (II Tim. 1:12).
our light affliction. — As we think of the affliction suffered by Paul,
we wonder how he could have called it light. It was light as com-
pared to the eternal weight of glory which he anticipated at the close
of his faithful ministry. The affliction was for the moment, but the
glory will be forever, eternal in the heavens. The afflictions could be
seen, but the glory cannot be seen with the physical eye. The things
that are not seen, however, are eternal. Paul discusses these things in
5:1-10.
Summary
Explaining his attitude toward the ministry of the New Covenant,
Paul showed why he preached Christ, even though his gospel was
obscured in the minds of some.
He had obtained this ministry through God's mercy, not by any
merit of his own. He was determined not to act like a fainthearted
coward in discharging his obligations to it. He renounced methods
and motives not in harmony with the gospel and rested his case on the
87
II CORINTHIANS
presentation of the truth. He refused to resort to the secret things
that belonged to the shameful practices of false teachers. He did riot
resort to craftiness, nor did he deceitfully use the gospel. By making
the truth clear to his hearers, he commended himself to the con-
sciences of men before God.
•Paul had said that some were blind to the true nature of the Old
Covenant, and he readily admitted that the gospel might be obscured
in the minds of those who were blinded by the god of this age. The
sin of unbelief kept the glorious light of the gospel from dawning
oh them. Even so, Paul Was determined not to preach himself, but
Christ Jesus as Lord. He was their servant for Jesus' sake. God
caused the light of the knowledge of His glory to shine through the
preaching of the apostle that it might bring enlightenment to the
believer.
• ! This gospel was like a precious treasure which God kept in earthen
vessels — his apostles and preachers of the Word. Paul trusted, not in
himself, but in God for strength to endure the hardships of his min-
istry. He was hard pressed, but not to the extent that he could not
mbve.'He'was perplexed, but never gave up. He was pursued by men,
but never forsaken by God. He was struck down, but never left to
die until his time to go home to be with the Lord. Paul, just as Jesus
"haadorte; faced death constantly at the hands of his persecutors.
But he was delivered from death that he might continue to tell of
-fKe risen Lordy for'this meant life for the Corinthians who believed.
As the Psalmist believed in God who delivered him from death,
•so s Paul also "believed 'that God would deliver him. He spoke with
boldness and confidence about his hope that God who raised up
Jesus would raise Him also frorri the dead and present him in the
resurrection: - with the faithful Corinthians. He reminded them that
he had endured all these things for their sakes in order that God's
grace which was multiplied by the many trials through which the
faithful go might abound in thanksgiving on their part to the glory
of God.
Paul was not afraid to face the hardships of his ministry, even the
constant danger of death. He knew, of course, that his physical body
was wearing out. But this was more than offset by the fact that his
inward, man: was being renewed constantly. These afflictions were a (
momentary light load as compared to the eternal weight of glory
to, which he. looked after patiently enduring the trials of this life.
He did not look at these perils as one who keeps his eyes on things
which can be seen, for he was thinking of things that cannot be
CHAPTER FOUR
seen with the physical eye, that is, the things that are eternal in the
heavens.
Questions
1. Why did Paul again refer to his ministry at this point?
2. What merciful thing had God done for Paul in connection with
his ministry?
3. In what way had Paul's conversion changed his Pharisaical
views?
4. What might this suggest as to the teachers who were disturbing
the church at Corinth?
5. What was Paul's attitude toward the hardships which he faced?
6. What were the hidden things of shame which Paul renounced?
7. What kind of a life had he lived as a Pharisee?
8. How do the practices of the false teachers in Galatia show what
Paul meant by "hidden things of shame"?
9. What were some of the crafty, deceitful practices of some of
the false teachers in Paul's day?
10. What did Paul say to the Ephesian elders about his own relation
to the whole counsel of God?
11. How did Paul seek to commend his ministry?
12. Why did he speak of the possibility of the gospel being veiled?
13. Who is the god of this age?
14. How does he blind the minds of some to the truth of the
gospel?
15. What will ultimately happen to the god of this age and to all
who worship him?
16. On what does belief in Christ rest?
17. What experience did Jesus have with this kind of blindness?
18. What is the light of the gospel?
19. What did Paul mean when he spoke of Christ as the image of
God?
20. What did Jesus say about His relation to the Father?
21. What did Paul mean when he said, "We preach not ourselves,
but Christ Jesus as Lord"?
22. Why did he speak of himself as their servant? ' '■'■■
\ 23. Why did Paul refer to the fact that God said, "Light shall shine
out of darkness"?
24. How had God enlightened the heart of Paul? How does he en-
lighten hearts of others?
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II CORINTHIANS
25. What contrasts may be seen between the god of this world and
God who sheds light on our minds through the gospel?
26. What did Paul mean by "the glory of God in the face of Jesus
Christ"?
27. What is the connection between this thought and that of the
glory on the face of Moses?
28:' What contrast may this suggest between the message that went
forth from Sinai and the gospel that was preached on the Day
; of Pentecost?
29. What was the treasure in earthen vessels?
30. What were the earthen vessels?
31. What important view of Paul's ministry does this give?
32. Why did Paul mention the frailty of the human body at this
point?
33. What experience of Paul had caused him to be pressed on
every side, yet not straitened?
34. How did the failure to find Titus cause him to be perplexed, yet
not unto despair?
35. How did Paul show that the Lord had never forsaken him?
36'. When had he been smitten down^ but not destroyed?
37- . In what way was he always bearing about in the body the
'•'dying of Jesus? ;
38. What was the purpose of this?
39. What did- he meart by saying, "Death works in us, but life in
"' you"? -
40. To what spirit of faith did Paul refer? Why?
41.' Why was Paul cheerful even though he knew that his physical
body was wearing out?
42. With what did he compare his "light affliction"?
43. What is "the eternal weight of glory"?
For Discussion
- 1. 'What can be done to exalt the gospel today when so many are
preoccupied with human systems of thought?
2. How can the unseen glories of heaven be made real to us?
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CHAPTER FIVE
Analysis
A. Paul contrasted the earthly and heavenly dwelling places as he
continued the explanation of his courageous outlook for the
future (1-10).
1. He pointed out that we know that we will have a building
from God (1).
a) This will be when the earthly, temporary dwelling — our
physical body — is folded up like a tent when it is no
longer needed (la).
b) We have waiting for us a permanent dwelling place
from God (b).
( 1 ) It will be a permanent dwelling in contrast to the
earthly, mortal body.
(2) It is eternal in contrast to the temporary body of
this life.
(3) It is to be in heaven in contrast to the one
that is for earth.
2. He spoke of his longing to be in that heavenly dwelling
place (2-5).
a) In this earthly body we have pain and distress which
cause us to be deeply disturbed.
b) This makes us long for the heavenly dwelling.
c) The heavenly dwelling will replace the earthly one so
that we will not be without a body. , •:
d) He explained that we do not want to be without a
body; rather, we want one that will take the place of
this mortal body.
e ) He who provided this very thing for us is God, and He
guaranteed it through what is revealed by the Holy
Spirit (5).
3. He explained why he faced the future with such courage
(6-10).
a) He was aware of the fact that as long as we make our
home in this physical body we are away from home, that
is, away from the Lord (6).
b) In this state we walk by faith, not by sight; we put
our trust in the Lord because of the knowledge we have
through the revelation by the Spirit (7).
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II CORINTHIANS
c) Because we are confident of this, we wish to be away from
this earthly home, the physical body, that we might be
at home with the Lord. ( 8 ) .
d) Consequently, Paul made it his aim to be well-pleasing
to the lord (9-10),
(1) This was his aim whether at home in the body or
absent from it.
(2) This was true because he faced the time when all
will appear before the judgment-seat of Christ.
There each one will receive the verdict, based
on what he has done in the body, whether good
or bad.
B. Because he knew the meaning of reverence for God, Paul ex-
plained his ministry of reconciliation ( 1 1-21 ) .
1. He explained the motivating forces of this ministry (11-17).
a) Since he was aware of the Judgment, he was endeavor-
ing to persuade men to obey God so that they might be
prepared for it (7-13).
(1) This was evident to God, and he hoped that they
were aware of it too ( 1 1 ) .
(2) He was not commending himself as he told about
' this ministry (12-13).
(a) He was giving them an opportunity to boast
on his behalf.
(b) This gave them an answer to the ones who
were boasting about appearance and not real-
'"'...■ . if y-
b) He told them of the love of Christ which was the com-
pelling, force in his ministry of reconciliation (14-17).
(1) He was held on this course by the force of Christ's
Christ's love for him (14-15).
(a) It was the fact that Christ died for all sinners
that made him aware of this love (14a).
(b) It is evident, then, that all sinners have died
. ' vr (14b). ^
.,.■;"■.. (c) It is also true that Christ died for all sinners —
that included Paul — so that they might no
.*-,- longer live for themselves but for Him who
died and rose for their sakes.
(2) He explained the view he held because he had
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CHAPTER FIVE
come to understand the love of Christ for him
(16-17).
(a) He no longer considered any man as a mere
human being, although he had once thought
of Messiah from this point of view (16).
(b) He looked upon any man who was in Christ
as a new creature; old thing had passed away;
behold, they have become new.
2. He explained that he had received this ministry from God
(18-19).
a) God had reconcilled Paul to Himself through Christ
and had given him this ministry of reconciliation (18).
b) Paul explained what this meant (19).
(1) It meant that God was, in Christ, reconciling the
world unto Himself.
(2) It meant that He was not reckoning their tres-
passes against them, but through His ambassador
He was offering them the way of reconciliation.
3. He explained what he was doing as an ambassador of Christ
(20-21).
a) God was pleading with them through the ambassador of
Christ that they reconcile themselves to Him (20).
b) God had made this reconciliation possible through
Christ (21).
(1) God made Christ, who was sinless, to represent
sin when He died on the cross.
(2) This was done that we might become the repre-
sentatives of the righteousness of God in Him.
The Building From God
Scripture
5:1-10 For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle
be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with
hands, eternal, in the heavens. 2 For verily in this we groan, longing
to be clothed upon with our habitation which is from heaven: 3 if so
be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 4 For indeed we
that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened; not for that we
would be unclothed, but that we would be clothed upon, that what
is mortal may be swallowed up of life. 5 Now he that wrought us
for this very thing is God, who gave unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
93
5:1 II CORINTHIANS
6 Being therefore always of good courage, and knowing that, whilst
we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord 7 (for we
walk by faith, not by sight) ; 8 we are of good courage, I say, and are
willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the
Lord. 9 Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or
absent, to be well-pleasing unto him. 10 For we must all be made
manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may
receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done,
whether it be good or bad.
Comments
For we know. — Paul continued to explain his courageous effort to
preach the gospel of Christ. He had told of his awareness of the
fact that this precious treasure was in earthen vessels. He was con-
stantly aware of the weakness of the vessel. He did not despair, how-
ever, for he knew what lay ahead for the faithful servant of Christ.
He knew that this life was only temporary, but beyond it there was
eternal life with God. This information had been revealed to him
through the Holy Spirit. See I Cor, 2:6-16. More than that, he had
actually seen the risen Lord. This fact confirmed the testimony that
had been made known to him and, through him, to all who are willing
to accept the Word of God. The hope of heaven is based solidly upon
the, testimony of the Scriptures.
Two factors influence the interpreters of this chapter: (1) the
assumption that Paul was anticipating the return of Christ in his
own lifetime; and (2) the assumption that he had in mind the
intermediate state of the dead as he discussed the issues of this chap-
ter, But we raise the question: "Did Paul expect the return of Christ
in his lifetime?" Jesus had made it clear to His disciples that no one
knew the time of His coming, "not even the angels of heaven, nor
the Son himself, but only the Father" (Matt. 24:36). The informa-
tion given orally to the apostles by Jesus was recalled to their minds
by the Holy Spirit. See John 14:26. Paul, who was also an inspired
apostle of Christ, surely had all the information that was given to
the otherj.apostles. In writing to the Thessalonians, he used the very
expressjonvthat Jesus had used about the second coming: "For your-
selves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief
in* the ■ night" (I Thes. 5:2). In his second epistle to them, he cor-
rected the, false notion that was held by some of them that the day
of the Lord was just at hand. He reminded them of certain things,
sugh, as, the apostasy, that were to come before that day. See II Thes.
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CHAPTER FIVE 5:1
2:12. In I Cor. 15:51, Paul wrote "Behold, I tell you a mystery:
We all shall not sleep, but we shall be changed." Some have under-
stood this to mean that Paul was expecting the return of Christ
before his death. It seems more likely that he was making a general
statement in agreement with what he had said in I Thes. 4:13-18.
Some will be alive at the time of the return of Christ, but there is no
indication that Paul expected to be one of that number.
Paul did say to the Philippians, "For to me to live is Christ — mag-
nified by my ministry of preaching His gospel — and for me to die
is gain" (Phil. 1:21). Although he had a strong desire to be with
Christ — what faithful Christian doesn't? — he added, "I know that I
shall abide, yea and abide with you all for your progress and joy in
the faith" (Phil. 1:25). But Paul, of course, was well aware of the
fact that his physical body which was subject to death was wearing
out. As he faced that eventuality, he wrote to Timothy saying, "I am
already being offered and the time of my departure is come" (II
Tim. 4:6). It seems idle, therefore, to speculate over the apostle's
supposed expectation of being alive when Christ comes.
The saints of all ages should remember the words of Christ when
He said, "Watch and be ready!" Paul made it his aim whether in
this life or the heavenly state to be well-pleasing to God.
As to the matter of the intermediate state, there is a question
whether or not Paul even hints at it in this context. For a discussion
of the intermediate state of the dead, see Studies in Luke, pages 278-
279-
if the earthly house. — This does not indicate that Paul had any doubt
as to whether or not he might die before the coming of Christ. The
only uncertain thing in his mind was the time of his death. The state-
ment may be more properly rendered as follows. "For we know that
whenever the earthly house of our tabernacle shall be dissolved, we
have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in
the heavens." We have a similar statement in I John 3:2: "We know
that if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him." But there is no
doubt in the mind of John about the fact that He will be manifested.
It would, therefore, be better to translate — and correct, too— as fol-
lows: "We know that whenever he shall be manifested, we shall be
like him."
For an illustration of the fact that "if" should sometimes be ren-
dered "when," see Heb. 3:7. The American Standard has "if"' but
RS V has "when" and correctly so,
we have a building from God. — The contrast is between the physical
95
5:1 II CORINTHIANS
body and the resurrection body. The one is earthly and temporal;
the other is eternal and heavenly. Some in Corinth had been doubting
the fact of the resurrection. They had asked about the kind of body
in which the dead were to be raised. See I Cor. 15:35. Paul said
there is a natural body — one that is suited to this life — and there is
also a spiritual body. See I Cor. 15:44. He described it as follows:
"For our citizenship is in heaven: whence also we wait for a savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall fashion anew the body of our hu-
miliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, accord-
ing to the working whereby he is able to subject all things unto
himself" (Phil. 3:20-21). This agrees with John that the saints shall
be like Him when they see Him as He is.
It is doubtful that the thought of a tabernacle that will give place
to a permanent building in heaven was derived from the Tabernacle
in the Wilderness that gave place to the permanent Temple in Jeru-
salem. People in Paul's day were thoroughly familiar with tents as
well as permanent structures. It was natural for Paul to use the figure
for he was a tentmaker. Peter uses the same figure referring to his
physical body when he referred to his approaching death as "the
putting off of his tabernacle" (II Pet. 1:14 and John 21:18-19).
The reference in John is to the manner of Peter's death and not
necessarily to the time of it. Paul spoke of "the time of his departure,"
using a phrase in common use. It referred among other things to the
soldier who folded his tent as he prepared to leave for home.
a building from God. — This does not suggest that the body we have is
not J from God, for we are His creatures, Paul's thought was of the
permanent abode of the saints of God as a creation of God, not a
house that man makes. Abraham "looked for the city that has foun-
dations whose builder and maker is God" (Heb. 11:10). Peter
describes it as "an inheritance that is incorruptible, and undefiled,
and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who by the
power of God are guarded through faith unto the salvation ready
to be revealed at the last time" (I Pet. 1:3-5). This is the Father's
house in which, according to Jesus, there are many mansions. See
John 14 j2.
■ Paul t .iSp6ke of the spiritual body and the permanent building
in-which the 1 saints will dwell in heaven. Both concepts describe the
contrast between heaven and the earthly, temporary, perishing body
in> which we«live in this life. The terms do not contradict each other;
neither do they necessarily refer to different phases of the life beyond
the grave.
%
CHAPTER FIVE 5:2-5
For verily in this we groan. — Whatever that suffering was that
brought Paul near death in Asia, it was an experience that left a vivid
impression on his mind. As he thought of it, he sighed the relief
that heaven would bring. Like a soldier who longs for victory and
the time to go home, Paul was eager for the battle to be over so that
he might lay aside the temporary physical body and be clothed with
the habitation which is from heaven.
not be found naked. — Those who assume that Paul had in mind the
intermediate state of the dead — the Scriptures clearly teach that there
is such a state — assume that he is speaking about it in this passage.
But it seems more likely that he was only contrasting this life with
the heavenly state. Then what does "not be found naked" mean?
The Corinthians were thoroughly familiar with the philosophical
view that taught that absence from the body meant freedom from
trial and hardship. The goal was to have no body at all. But this
was not Paul's idea. Rather than this being a discussion of the inter-
mediate state of the dead, it seems to be Paul's answer to those who
might have held false views of the resurrection. Some of the Corin-
thians had been denying the resurrection. Paul's desire to be free
from the body was based on what he knew by revelation concerning
the resurrection body. No one with this knowledge would look for-
ward to a time when he would be without a body that is, be found
naked. The resurrection body will be like the glorious body of Christ.
This explains why Paul said, "We that are in this tabernacle groan,
being burdened." The afflictions, distresses, imprisonments, and hard-
ships which he suffered were heaven burdens. But to Paul they were
light when compared to the eternal weight of glory that awaits the
faithful follower of Christ. He explained the expression, "not be
found naked" by saying, "not that we would be unclothed but that
we would be clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up
with life."
the earnest of the Spirit. — See comment on 1:22. The earnest of the
Spirit is the guarantee or pledge that God will provide a spiritual
body for the saints in heaven. When we say that the Holy Spirit is
the guarantee, we are using the well known figure of speech, meton-
ymy, which puts the person for the thing he does. The*Holy Spirit
is the Person who gives the guarantee or reveals the pledge. It was
revealed directly to the apostle, but written in the sacred Scriptures
for us. It is proper, then, to say that the saints of God have a written
guarantee that there is a building from God, a house not made with
hands, eternal, in the heavens.
97
5:7-10 II CORINTHIANS
for we walk by faith. — As to the heavenly home, we must depend on
the information God has made known by His Spirit through the in-
spired apostles. We do not see heaven, but we hope for it because
God says it is waiting for His people. This is the basis of Paul's un-
daunted courage in face of hardship. He was willing, of course, to be
absent from the body that he might be at home with the Lord.
There are two thoughts expressed here: ( 1 ) At home in the body
means absence from the. Lord; and (2) absence from the body-
death — means at home with the Lord. Since Paul, apparently, did
not choose to discuss the intermediate state at this point but concen-
trate upon the goal of heaven, it seems-'unnecessary to consider it in
the explanation of his remarks. When Christ comes at the end of the
age, the dead will be raised and those that are alive will together
with them be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall they
ever be with Him. See I Thes. 4:13-18.
That the righteous dead will be with the Lord in the intermediate
state seems to be indicated by the words of Jesus to the dying thief:
"Today shalt thou be with me in Paradise. See comment on this
passage in. Studies in Luke, page 380.
Wherefore we make it our aim.—~ -Paul's constant concern was that
he be well-pleasing to the Lord. He seemed quite content to leave
the matter of the time when he would be absent from the body and
present With the Lord in His hands. This is in accord with what Jesus
said about the unknown time of His coming. The faithful need to
watch and be ready! Paul did not want to be like that unfaithful
servant who, because' his master had delayed his coming, began to
mistreat his felloe-servants. See Matt. 24:45-51. Jesus said that the
unfaithful servant would be Cut asunder and have his portion ap-
pointed with the hypocrits. Paul knew of the judgment which all
wiirface 5 . His mission was to help others prepare for that Day.
For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ.
— Paul uses the figure of a military tribunal to describe the Judg-
ment. The judgment-seat is the elevated platform on which the judge
sits. All will be gathered before the Judge.
Jesus used the figure of a royal throne to describe the same Judg-
ment sceiie ! .'':"'Wheri the Son of man shall come in his glory and
alPh'is IngeTs With him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory:
ifid'before' him shall be gathered all the nations; and he shall sep-
araf&'the'ifeone from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep
from"' the gda'ts" (Matt; 25 : 3 1-32). John describes the Judgment Day
bousing the* figure of the great white throne: "And I saw a great
98
CHAPTER FIVE 5:10
white throne, and him that sat upon it, from whose face the earth
and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
And I saw the dead, the great and the small, before the throne; and
the books were opened: and another book was opened which is the
book of life: and the dead were judged out of the things which were
written in the books according to their works" (Rev. 20:11-12).
Some assume that these are three different judgments. Since all of
them refer to the end of the world and the coming of Christ, it is
clear that all of them describe the same Judgment Day.
God through Christ is the Judge. "He hath appointed a day in
which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom
he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in
that he hath raised him from the dead" (Acts 17:30). Ecclesiastes
closes with the same thought: "This is the end of the matter. Fear
God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.
For God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret
thing whether it be good or evil" (Eccl. 12:13). Revelation indicates
that the books will be opened on that day. One of them is the record
of the deeds of men whether they be good or bad. Another of the
books is the Book of Life. If any man's name is not found written in
that book, he will be cast into the lake of fire which is the second
death. Still another book is the gospel which Paul preached: "God
shall judge the secrets of men, according to my gospel by Jesus
Christ" (Rom. 2:16). The Judgment Day is a strong motivating
force leading to repentance.
Jesus said, "Marvel not at this for the hour cometh, when all that
are in the tombs shall hear his voice and shall come forth; they that
have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have
done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment" (John 5:28-29).
Paul's ambition was to be well-pleasing to God so that in the Judg-
ment Day he might be among those who have done good.
Motivating Forces ■ ,
Scripture
5:11-17 Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men,
but we are made manifest unto God; and I hope that we are made
manifest also in your consciences. 12 We are not again commendinj
ourselves unto you, but speak as giving you occasion of glorying. ,pn
our behalf, that ye may have wherewith to answer them that glory
in appearance, and not in heart. 13 For whether we are beside pur-
99
5:11 II CORINTHIANS
selves, it is unto God; or whether we are of sober mind, it is unto
you. 14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge,
that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and he died for all, that
they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him
who for their sakes died and rose again. 16 Wherefore we hence-
forth know no man after the flesh: even though we have known
Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more. 17 Wherefore
if any man is in Christ, he is a new cerature: the old things are passed
away; behold, they are become new.
Comments
Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord,. — Paul turns from the
thought of man's responsibility to God and the fact that all shall be
made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ to the responsibility
that lay upon him in relation to his ministry of reconciliation. He
discussed two basic motivating forces of that ministry: (1) the fear
of the Lord and (2) the love of Christ.
A sense of reverence and awe arises from the fact that all must
appear before the Judge of the universe to give account of the things
dofie'in the body. The guilty fear the punishment that is associated
with wrong doing. The sincere servant of the Lord has a dread of
doing that which is not pleasing to God. Paul wrote to the Ephesiaris
and said, "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were
sealed unto the day of redemption" (Eph. 4:30). David prayed,
"Keep back thy_ servant also from presumptuous sins" (Psa. 19:13).
Paul mentioned' his' fear and trembling on coming to Corinth. See
Studies in First Corinthians, page 34. Since children are to be like
their fathers, Peter writes, "If ye call on him as father, who without
respect of persons judgeth according to each man's work, pass the
time '• of ' your sojourning in fear: knowing that ye were redeemed,
not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from your vain
mariner of life handed down from your fathers: but with precious
blood, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, even the
blood of Christ" (I Pet. 1:17-18). John explained the fear of the
disobedient in contrast to the love of those who do the will of God.
See I John 4:17-19. The disobedient fear punishment, but perfect
love^Iove' that is expressed in obedience to the commandments of
Gotf-<asts : 'out fear. Our love for God springs from the fact that He
first : 4bv¥d''us.
•AdMi Was afraid of God because he knew that he was guilty of
transgressing' His command. Anxiety caused the guilty one to attempt
100
CHAPTER FIVE 5:11
to cover his own sin. Adam used the fig leaf in a vain attempt to hide
his disobedience from God. Ever since that day, man has been trying
through his own schemes to blot out the effect of his sins, but the
fact remains that only God can forgive sins.
The divine plan is to blot out sin by the blood of Christ. Paul
was suddenly stopped in his mad effort to destroy the church of
God when he accepted the mercy of God and got his sins washed
away by submitting to baptism at the hand of Ananias. From that
time forward, the love of Christ for him kept him aware of the
need to obey His Lord as a faithful servant.
we persuade men. — Opinions differ over the meaning of this state-
ment. Some assume that Paul was attempting to persuade men of
his own sincerity. He had been reminding the Corinthians that he
was not indulging in self-glory. As to the charge of the false teachers
on this issue, he rested his case on the truth of the gospel message
which he proclaimed and the evidence of Christian character which
his converts displayed.
It seems more likely, then, that Paul was referring to his ministry
in which he was persuading men to be reconciled to God. His
converts at Corinth were proof of his effectiveness. He was persuading
men to obey Christ that they might be prepared to stand before the
judgment-seat of Christ. At Corinth, Paul had "reasoned in the
synagogue every sabbath and persuaded Jews and Greeks" (Acts
18:4). At Thessalonica, he had gone into the synagogue of the
Jews and "for three sabbath days reasoned with them from the
scriptures, opening and alleging that it behooved Christ to suffer,
and to arise from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom, said he, I
proclaim unto you is the Christ" (Acts 17:2-3).
Paul consistently presented the facts about Jesus in persuading
men to believe that He was the Christ. He told them of the good-
ness of God that was leading them to repentance. He told them of
the love of God who gave His Son to die for us while we were
sinners. He told them about the judgment that all face and ap-
pealed to them to repent in preparation for that day. He told of
the command to be baptized for the remission of sins as he urged
men to obey God. n
Paul's own conversion had followed this same persuasive pattern.
Stephen's message profoundly affected the young man named SauJ,
He knew well the history of his people, the Jews, as Stephen. re-
lated it. He knew of their stubborn disobedience that led some to
attempt to go back to Egypt. He knew that the temple had taken
101
5:11,12 II CORINTHIANS
the place of the tabernacle in the wilderness, and he was fully aware
of the fact that God does not dwell in houses made with hands. He
knew also that the fathers had persecuted the prophets and killed
those who had showed beforehand the coming of the Righteous
One. Stephen had burned this truth into the minds of his audience
when he said, "You have now become murderers of that One." But
Stephen also presented the evidence of the resurrection of Christ when
he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man
standing on the right hand of God" (Acts 7:55).
When Saul met the Lord on the Damascus Road, his question
was: "What shall I do?" Stephen had impressed him with the mercy
and love of God, for Saul had heard him when he prayed, "Lord, lay
not this sin to their charge" (Acts 7:60). See Paul's own comment
in Acts 22:16-21 and I Tim. 1:12-14. The person who believes in
the Lord Jesus and understands his love and mercy readily responds
to the reasonable command to be baptized for the remission of sins.
See Acts 9:17-19 and 22:16.
Immediately upon his conversion, Paul began to preach Christ,
for he was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. See Acts 26: 19-23.
He urged Gentiles as well as Jews to repent and turn to God, doing
Works worthy of repentance.
we are made manifest unto God. — On the Judgment Day, God will
judge the secrets of men according to the gospel, by Jesus Christ. See
Rom. 2:16. Paul was aware of the fact that God knew his heart at
all times and that no motive of his was hidden from Him. In this
frame of mind he had carried on his ministry as an apostle of Christ.
He had dealt frankly and sincerely with the Corinthians and believed
that he had a right to hope that they were aware of his attitude. He
had already called their attention to his sincerity in dealing with them
in contrast to those who were corrupting the Word of God.
we are not again commending ourselves unto you. — It seemed nec-
essary for Paul to defend his sincerity because of false charges that
were being made against him continually. See 10:8-9. He was not
commending himself by what he said about his ministry of persuading
men, but giving the Corinthians a reason for being proud of the
fact that the gospel had been brought to them by the apostle of
Jesus Christ. This gave them a substantial answer to the claims of
false apostles who were really deceitful workers of Satan. See 11:12-
13f Such deceitful workers were proud of their external appearance,
but Paul gloried in the fact that the secrets of his heart were known
to God.
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CHAPTER FIVE 5:13,14
for whether we are beside ourselves, — If Paul were out of his mind,
it would be evident to God, for God had placed His approval upon
him in appointing him to the apostleship. Festus, listening to the
defense that Paul made of the gospel before King Agrippa, cried
out: "Paul, thou art mad; thy much learning is turning thee mad"
(Acts 26:24). But Paul assured him that he was speaking only
words of truth and soberness. He was sure that the king knew this
too. The Corinthians had ample opportunity to know the mind of
Paul for he had determined not to know anything among them except
Jesus Christ and Him crucified. His appeal to them had been made
on the basis of known facts of the gospel which were in accord with
the Scriptures. See I Cor. 15:1-4. He had sincerely proclaimed the
message of Christ to them. As one sent from God to do this task,
he was aware that what he did was done in the sight of God.
for the love of Christ constraineth us. — Paul's reverence for God
led him to a life of sincerity in his ministry of preaching the gospel.
Christ's love for him became an irresistible force that held him on
the true course. See Rom. 5 : 6-8.
that one died for all, — The doctrine of the vicarious or substitutionary
atonement is based on the theory of a limited atonement. This doc-
trine of limited atonement springs from the doctrine of predestina-
tion which asumes that God predetermined that certain individuals
would be saved and that others would be the objects of His wrath
with no hope of salvation. According to the theory, those pre-
determined to be saved cannot resist the grace of God. They will
persevere unto the final salvation of their souls — no chance of being
lost! The doctrine of a limited atonement teaches that Christ died
for these only, that is, He died in their stead and they will, therefore,
be saved. The theory assumes that Paul's words, "He died iot all,"
means for all who were predetermined to be saved. The argument,
among other things, is based upon the translation of the preposition
that is rendered "for," assuming that it means "instead of." But the
same preposition is rendered "for their sake" in the last clause of
verse fifteen. Christ "died and rose again for their sakes." This would
seem to suggest that if He died instead of them, He also rose instead
of them, which, of course, doesn't make sense. Since Paul uses the
same preposition in the two phrases, consistency suggests that they
be translated by the same words in each case. This leads to the con-
clusion that Christ's death and resurrection were for the benefit of
all who believe on Him. In I Cor. 15:3, Paul says, "Christ died for —
this is the same word which he used in II Cor. 5:14-15 — our sins
103
5:14 II CORINTHIANS
according to the Scriptures." His death concerned our sins. It was
for the benefit of all sinners, "for God; so loved the world that He
gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on Him might
not perish but have everlasting life." No limited atonement here!
"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And he that heareth, let
him say, Come. Arid he that is athirst, let him come: he that will,
let him take the water of life freely" (Rev. 22:17). Rather than a
limited and substitutionary atonement, the Scriptures indicate that
Christ's death was for all sinners, that they might hear the gospel
and repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins. Mark 16:
15-16; Acts 2:38. '
The standard by which Paul evaluated the death of Christ was
the Scriptures. See I Cor. 15:3. But through the centuries men have
been influenced by the doctrines of predestination and total depravity
which have led them to the theories of limited atonement, irresistible
grace, and perseverance of saints.
The Scriptures clearly indicate that God predetermined that be-
lievers would be saved, whether Jews or Gentiles. See Rom. 9:24,
30; Rom. 5:8; John 3:16. The Scriptures teach that as a result of
Adam's sin physical death passed to all men. See Rom. 5:12; I Cor.
15:22 and Heb. 9:27. Spiritual death, on the other hand, is the
result of one's own personal sins. See John 8:21, 34; Eph. 2:1-6;
Rom. 6:23. To assume that the human being, as a result of Adam's
sin, is in a state of depravity which renders him incapable of doing
or thinking anything good in the spiritual realm is to make the
preaching of the gospel for the salvation of the lost a meaningless
gesture. But Paul declared that it was the good pleasure of God
through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who
believe. See I Cor. 1:21. If it requires a regenerating act of the Holy
Spirit before man can believe, then the Word of the Cross truly is in
vain. But Jesus clearly indicated that sinners for whom He died were
to hear the Word through the inspired apostles and believe. See
John 17:20-21.
Some assume that the doctrine of substitutionary atonement is
taught in Matt. 20:28 and Mark 10:45. Jesus gave His life as a
ransom for, or on behalf of, the many. Some would translate,
"instead of many" which is possible except for the fact that it does
not harmonize with the whole teaching of Scripture on the subject.
Paul's comment in I Tim. 2:6 explains the meaning of Matt. 20:28,
for he says that "Christ gave himself a ransom for all."
Out of the references to ransom, two more closely related theories
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CHAPTER FIVE 5:l4
of the atonement have come: (1) The ransom theory, and (2) the
commercial theory. Based on the thought that we are redeemed by
the blood of Christ (Eph. 1:7) or "bought with a price" (I Cor.
6:20) some have taught that God paid the price of the blood of
Christ to the devil to buy the release of the sinner. But the Scriptures
simply state that we were bought with a price, the blood of Christ,
without any assumption that it was paid to Satan. The commercial
theory assumes that the death of Christ was exactly equal to the
punishment that God would have inflicted on sinners, and that because
of Christ's death He is just in forgiving them. The theory assumes
that God in His purity and holiness was offended by the sinner and
that only the death of Christ could change His attitude. The Scrip-
tures state, however, that while we were yet sinners, God com-
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